![]() ![]() Spotters have been sent to watch for herds that suddenly leave the main clown trail. Smart herders sometimes forego the main prize, drive their clowns directly to the smaller markets, ensuring a lesser, but substantial, payout - getting ahead of those who go for, but miss, the largest prize. Once that first herd is clocked-in, word passes to the other herds and they peel away, heading for small fairs, clown-o-gram enterprises, even party rentals. It is not about talent or showmanship, but time. johntustinpoetry contains links to his published poetry online.įirst driver driving his clown herd to the fairgrounds gets the circus contract. His first poetry collection is forthcoming from Cajun Mutt Press. John Tustin’s poetry has appeared in many disparate literary journals since 2009. Then I started thinking about Viet Nam again. ![]() I finally stopped thinking about that when I got to San Diego – The rest of my time there I didn’t think as much about where I was goingĪs I did about what would happen if the Sergeant was insane enough Marine CorpsĪnd our every movement and deed was in service to it. Replacing our fear of death with a fear of wrath. That would prevent us from unflinchingly doing what we were told, The Sergeant’s primary job was to scoop out anything in our souls Satisfied with that, the Sergeant lifted me to my feet “Sir, I was crossing myself, sir!” immediately came out of my mouth. “GIVE ME ONE GOOD REASON WHY YOU SHOULD MOVE DURING MY LORD’S I felt an iron hand grip my wrist in the total darkness,įlinging me from the top bunk to the floor. When a sand flea decided to dig into my face. I was in the top bunk reciting The Lord’s Prayer Ninety seconds to shit, two minutes to shower,Įventually the call for chow would make us salivate –Īfter lights out we were made to lie at attention in our bedsĪnd they would get under your skin and start biting. This is where we were being taught to be men but also less than men –Įxtensions of a great killing machine called the U.S. By day, she is a middle school special education teacher.Ī New York City boy being made a man in the South. Her first full-length collection, The Future Has A Reputation, was published by CW Books in 2020. Other poems by Susanna Kittredge have appeared in journals including Barrow Street (Winter 2017-2018), The Columbia Review (Spring 2016) and Salamander (Summer 2011) and anthologies including Bay Poetics (Faux Press, 2006). Unevenly across the pages because it’s still hotĪnd humid and the wor(l)d is still melting. In your prayer book with French psalms that swim You’ll be covered in grass stains, shaking words out of your pages From over her bed you can seeĪ smear of garden through the translucent curtains. In a dreamcatcher (a simple one without feathers the friend You try to go to them while they sleep and get caught With all the revolutionary fervor of a Communist sunrise? The b’s form an arch the c’s float along in a straight, shimmering line.Īnd behind you, more words pile on top of themselvesĪnd become illegible. Their Kools, their plants, and their rotary telephones. Losing their faith and their heads but keeping their cool, Your three friends, the catalogue models, have moved to Paris, The sidewalk catches the tough sun like radiant sandstone. It’s so hot out, your head and torso dissolveĪs your arms lift your shirt above your shoulders. Susanna Kittredge Ekphrastic Slideshow in a Heat WaveĪfter a series of images by various artists Kidd has had poetry and flash fiction published in Elsewhere: A Journal of Place, Friday Flash Fiction, Journal of the American Medical Association, Green Ink Poetry, bluepepper, Ffraid and Soor Ploom Press. He stopped to listen in silent acknowledgementĪndrew C. In the caress and cushion of gentle waves. ”Īuthor writes in NYC under the pen name Jan Cronos. ” Both of his daughters declare that he is the “best daddy they have, ” and his pre-teen science students rave that he is “Fine, I guess. His mother believes his poetry is “just wonderful. Savoring this temporary moment of revengeĬhristopher Clauss (he/him) is an introvert, Ravenclaw, father, poet, photographer, and middle school science teacher in rural New Hampshire. Something that feels to him like justice – Hurdling the playground fence and sprinting – ![]() – the victim-turned-aggressor-turned-fugitive – Of the schoolyard – only until it isn’t – Recess duty – this is when I attempt to watchĪnything they can do to keep from tantrum – My coastline – ravaging every rosebud and Velocity of the Schoolyard The Fibonacci sequence tells Christopher Clauss Sitting in Sympathies Hours after ![]()
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