a day at the beach

by chuck leary

illustration by eddie el greco

you seem surprised, my friend that the world has come to an end has it come too early? too late? i see you have gained some weight let us go down to the shore it may not be there any more and the man who sold ice cream - well, we can always dream i recall you liked chocolate best and never passed the comprehensive test required of all aspirants who showed ambition, and scorned chance now chance and ambition are one as are politics, murder, and fun but all that was yesterday let us soak up these last rays

worm in love

lines

by alice marston sternwall

illustration by jacqueine le mot

a leaf drifted in the air and fell to the ground raindrops ripped it now it can not be found jenny was a quiet child born for gentle love a bolt of lightning struck her from the dark heavens above harold was a dreamer with his eyes turned to the sky he never saw a sign there and he always wondered why

thus doth it end

by horace p sternwall

illustrations by danny delacroix

mr z had things to say and he posted them every day then one day to him it occurred that all his passionate words in the cloud were just floating away he suddenly got to his feet and went outside in the street the world was deserted and bare only he was taking the air he fell to the ground in despair he resolved to mend his ways and care not for censure or praise to become a wandering minstrel or monk or a sidewalk-sitting drunk or just lay there forever in a daze at length hunger attacked his frame and to his eternal shame he went inside for a bite the old thoughts returned so bright and he got back into the game mr z has things to say and he posts them every day with his trusty laptop and phone and pizza delivered to his home he wouldn’t have it any other way