Susan L. Pollet

FALLING FROM THE SKY

It was March of 2026
as they sat in bomb shelters with
their families, if they were lucky
enough to have that option,
in their respective countries,
captives of the leaders making
decisions once in power,
mostly without their say,
what rained from the sky competed
with nature’s most furious storm

To those below, it felt that they had
little control whether made by man
or made by the physical world, as
they smiled through clenched teeth,
prayed in different languages for
deliverance, and told themselves
they would get through this latest
assault on what was left of
the ‘dignity of man’


Gerald So's YouTube reading of "Falling from the Sky"


Susan confesses: "This poem was inspired by the tense global atmosphere of early 2026, when ordinary people in many countries felt trapped between powerful leaders and forces beyond their control. Images of families in shelters, fear falling from the sky, and fragile human dignity reflect anxiety about war, vulnerability, and the resilience people cling to during crisis."

SUSAN L. POLLET is a published author of books in multiple genres and a fine artist who is a member of the Arts Student’s League in New York City. Susan’s poetry and art have been published in multiple literary publications and in on-line shows.

Hana Kelly

BASAL CLEAVAGE OF A DRUGSTORE DOLLAR

there it stands:
hunger
open-mouthed and gaping.
a hole in the ground full
of glossy, shiny things like teeth
or fangs
or mica
ready to eat our youth

and there they go
into the deep darkness
of its throat
small bodies in an open maw
small hands prepped for extraction
into a maze of windpipes for
the earth to breathe;

and they breathe each other in,
dust and sweat and blood,
the children and the mines.
for one tiny moment
in the shadowy hollow
a constellation underground,
pressing in on them

but these stars bite, are rabid.
small hands fit better into
muzzles
grope in the grit-fogged gloom
for sharp, pretty sheets of mica

for handfuls of rupees,
for a short escape
from hunger,
the risk of collapse—
lung or wall or world.
for the shimmer of tears
from a bereft mother,
still hungry,
still with other small mouths to feed.

for the glitter and sparkle
of pretty maquillage
on a plump American face.
and only a few American dollars.
how small a price to pay.


Hana's YouTube reading of "Basal Cleavage of a Drugstore Dollar"


Hana confesses: "This poem is inspired by mica mining in India, where poverty is used to keep a system of unethical and child labor practices in place. Unchecked capitalism will always have a victim. Learn more: https://www.fairplanet.org/story/child-labour-in-mica-mines-the-beauty-industrys-dark-secret/"

HANA KELLY lives in Atlanta and recently graduated from Georgia State University with a B.A. in English. When she is not writing speculative or surreal fiction, she’s reading it. Catch up with her on Instagram @hanamkelly.

Craig Kirchner

RIGHT

Liam will be back,
not because a judge ordered it,
but because it is right
that he be reunited with
all that he was taken from,
and right will win this war,
ultimately right will win,
and he will be home, happy.

I dreamt about Hell,
amazing since I don’t believe
in Heaven or Hell.
There were special wings,
named after the greats,
designated as to deviancy
murderers, wife beaters,
child molesters and ICE.

In the dream Putin dies,
massive heart attack.
Russians filled the streets of Moscow,
crowds in every major city
celebrated, rejoiced –
it seemed right.
The flag at the White House
was at half-staff.

Vlad was immediately directed
to the Hitler wing.
He asked the commandant
if any of his friends
would be coming here.
No, there are special cots for them
in the Epstein wing.
You will be better off here
and you can believe it.


Craig's YouTube reading of "Right"


Craig confesses: "To do anything to traumatize a five-year-old is not right, it’s not Christian, and anyone that thinks its American has something fundamentally wrong with them. The terrorists responsible, all of them, will find a special place reserved in hell."

CRAIG KIRCHNER loves the aesthetics of writing, has a book of poetry, Roomful of Navels, and has been nominated three times for a Pushcart. He has been published in Chiron Review, Main Street Rag, and dozens of others. He houses 500 books in his office and about 400 poems on a laptop; these words help keep him straight. Craig has an interview up at Spillword and can be found on Bluesky.

F.I. Goldhaber

STAIN
A Fibonacci poem

You
can
wash blood
from your skin,
walls, and floors. Launder
it from most clothing. But rugs are
problematic. So they removed all the carpeting.


F.I.'s YouTube reading of "Stain"


F.I. confesses nothing.

F.I. GOLDHABER's words capture people, places, and politics with a photographer's eye and a poet's soul. As a reporter, editor, and business writer, they produced news stories, feature articles, editorial columns, and reviews for newspapers, corporations, governments, and non-profits in five states. Now paper, plastic, electronic, and audio magazines, books, newspapers, calendars, broadsides, and street signs display their poetry, fiction, and essays. More than 250 of their poems appear in almost 100 publications including What Color is Your Privilege?, their political poetry collection published by Left Fork press. http://www.goldhaber.net/