By Seán C. Malone and John Sweetman “How many of these joints have you done?” “Well, only one today, but it’s not even lunchtime yet.” That refers to the “Mortise and Tenon” joints we were making to assemble a “picnic cover” for our friend Bill who had a property on Indian Point. It has been…
Twinkies and a 1977 Ford Pickup
By Seán Malone and John Sweetman We were poking around the old Ford F-250 four-wheel drive three-quarter-ton pickup that Seán acquired from me about 30 years ago. It seemed to have a problem with steering. This truck still is a formidable beast, with an 8,000-pound winch and oversized custom bumpers and guards, but it was…
Good Santa vs Bad Santa
By Seán Malone and John Sweetman As we passed by Mikey’s Fish Stand … now selling Christmas trees, naturally our conversation turned to Christmas seasons long past. Never to argue with John, but there is no “bad Santa Claus,” as he is modeled after a saint and always produces positive thoughts. Seán always argues with…
The Bear King’s Lullaby
By Jane Valencia, inspired by the song “Binwag’s Lullaby,” lyrics by Debra Knodel Once upon a time, a Bear King lived in a great forest hall in the north. During summer and the time of abundance, he had many visitors to his hall – Deer, Chickadee, Raccoon, and Red Fox to name a few who…
Naked Are The Branches
By Antoinette M. Levine Autumn reflects – natural release cycles – that encourage a wise willingness to let go. Nature’s seasonal guidance inspired Ms. Levine to pen this poem.
It Was a Night of Psychedelic Canaries at Grandmother’s House
The baby screams in the house full of leftover turkey & stuffing, fries and pies potatoes mashed by another shrieker & his dad. Sleep settles into all the warm beds but mine. Awake as windows rattle I pen a poem. Stillness embraces all the others downstairs. Our dogs mumble in sleep, paws tapping. I imagine…
A Christmas Resurrection or “Dead Santas”
By Claudia Hollander-Lucas
Christmas Tree
By Yvonne Higgins Leach after Connie Wanek To stand tall but not in earthto survive in plastic and faucet waterto live for wearing colored lightsto ignore the four walls and no skyto show off ornaments and still be simpleto be evergreen and oxygen and holiday spiritto bless the one family who picked you. “Christmas Tree”…
Book Review – Icon: A Novel
By Jane Valencia On Thursdays, I head across the water to an Eastern Catholic church where I am learning how to write (paint) icons – sacred images in the Orthodox tradition considered to be “windows into heaven.” I also happen to love juvenile and young adult fiction. Imagine my delight when I found “Icon: A…