Artwork by Bruce New

Charlie Parker's Garden (poetry) by Puma Perl

Red Mama (artwork/poetry) by Moctezuma Johnson

The Mob (poetry) by Doug Draime

Willie Lepers (music video) by Norman Ball

1 out of 6 by by Rob Plath

The Recipe by Emme Hor

Sometimes Suicidal by Aimee DeLong

Last Night at Southport by Justin Hyde

microwave popcorn haiku by Pete Lee

 

Book Reviews:

Dancing on Thin Ice by George Anderson ( review by Ralph-Michael Chiaia)

92 Rapple by Lyn Lifshin
(review by Helen Peterson)

10 Poems & Ampersands
by Ralph-Michael Chiaia
(review by David McLean)

 

MASQUERADE BALL

I saw you at the masquerade ball.
I was there too dressed as apathy
in my skull and bones t-shirt and
my bright red high-heeled shoes.

I was the mental psychopath
fighting gravity and the blues.
We are all upside down people.
It is best just to sit and rock.;

I brought the beer and party balloons.
You brought the handcuffs and
the whipped cream. I think we got
lucky. Where did I see you again?

GHOST LISA ANN

Ghost Lisa Ann was looking for Christina in the psychiatric ward in jail. Christina was someone she had never met. She was a voice and Ghost Lisa Ann said she needed to save her. Christina would sob and wail and Ghost Lisa Ann would hear her. Ghost Lisa Ann swore she would find her and bring a smile to Christina’s face. After a week in the psychiatric ward, the medications were taking their toll on Ghost Lisa Ann. She stopped hearing Christina’s voice. But she still remembered what the voice sounded like. Christina was crying out for help, but Ghost Lisa Ann was unable to find her. Ghost Lisa Ann did not even know or remember her own name.

A MISUNDERSTANDING

My mom made me come here.
It was all a misunderstanding.
She thought I was making
bunny noises and talking to dead people.

She probably remembered
what happened a long time ago
when I was hearing voices.
But I learned to block them out.

It takes a lot to make me mad.
I try not to listen to
negative people. I drink when
I want to. It relieves stress.

I’m so sorry I took LSD.
For days I heard Tinkerbelle
whispering in my ear after that.
I should have thrown the stuff away.

 

Biography:

Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal was born in Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico. He now lives and works in Los Angeles County. He has had chapbooks published by Kendra Steiner Editions and Pygmy Forest Press.