An Unquiet Mind – Trisha Leigh Shufelt

The woman I seestares back at meshe does not lieshe knows mebetter than I know myselfshe shows me who I ambehind fine linesdispels spells castwith potions and powdersshe eyes my surroundingsfortunate and fakecomforts in a disquieting wakeshe smiles at meand likes them all the sameeach morningdespite the presentationshe sees the maskbeyond the surfaceshe sees layers […]

An Unquiet Mind – Trisha Leigh Shufelt

Marisela Brazfield

Charlotte She splashes thoughts onto notebook pages with an old Bic. Kitchen table strewn with cheap chocolates and meals from St. Vincent’s. On her old bed sheets, rolling paper and tufts of tobacco with exaggerated Brave on the bag. Arms scarred by a childhood disease that taught loneliness. The matriarch of two generations. She wanders […]

Marisela Brazfield

Writing/Creativity Prompt Challenge: Dear Juliet

What would YOU tell Shakespeare’s Juliet if you had the chance? The Heretics, Lovers, and Madmen Literary Collective loves a good writing/creativity prompt challenge. Our goal is to provide prompts on a regular basis. We hope that our ‘Shadow in the Frame’ prompt stirs your muse and that you consider submitting your prompt response to Heretics, Lovers, […]

Writing/Creativity Prompt Challenge: Dear Juliet

Dark Mother: Nyx – Bartholomew Barker

I gaze into the thousands of twinkling eyes of my dark mother who reassures me, I don’t matter. Photo by Klemen Vrankar on Unsplash Bartholomew Barker is one of the organizers of Living Poetry, a collection of poets and poetry lovers in the Triangle region of North Carolina. His first poetry collection, Wednesday Night Regular, […]

Dark Mother: Nyx – Bartholomew Barker

para el 7

mbrazfield (c) 2024

today they’ll bury the 7
and hell has now imploded
silence in his scream
the noise in between
rage and shame
dissipated away in the fog
there will be no match
in a durge to the bravado
of your life you way your death
today they will not bury
rage pain hate sting fate
helplessness is not charity
dignity is gambled away
your darkness washed away
clearing the way for come what may
larger than life
you taunted the death
which inevitably takes all of us
no more yells pounding beats fueled by broken ideals
with heart in hand
and blunt inhaled
triumphant in your world
yet crying on the dark side
of the moon

hoy enterrarán al 7
y el infierno ahora ha implosionado
silencio en su grito
el ruido en el medio
rabia y vergüenza
disipado en la niebla
no habrá partido
en un duro a la bravuconería
de tu vida tu camino tu muerte
hoy no enterrarán
rabia dolor odio picadura destino
impotencia no es caridad
la dignidad se juega
tu oscuridad se lavó
despejando el camino para lo que pase
mas largo que la vida
te burlaste de la muerte
que inevitablemente nos lleva a todos
no más gritos golpeando ritmos impulsados por ideales rotos.
con el corazón en la mano
y contundentemente inhalado
triunfante en tu mundo
aún llorando en el lado oscuro
de la luna

Dark Mother – Candice Louisa Daquin

The night you disavowed us; arms high above your headChhinnamasta, spouting bouquets of rosy blooddecapitating caution, light and sound bring creation’s escapepuppet no longer strung; you were a dark swan with gleaming feathersMare de déu de Montserrat with skin of starsblack Madonna, ebony in benediction’s release nothing of those apostasy days remain; aside my last […]

Dark Mother – Candice Louisa Daquin

We, the Unhinged, Welcome You – Danielle Wong

We, the unhinged, have come to greet you,welcome you to our foldin the middle of the day,in the middle of the night.We may smirk while you contortyour eyebrows, your eyes, the cornersof your mouth into shadowy screams, but the taste of your blood on our tongues, and ours onto yours,soothes our souls, calms our minds.Your […]

We, the Unhinged, Welcome You – Danielle Wong

Persephone Wakes – Nancy Dunlop

What is all that commotion?Oh no. It is the thump of new spring.Over my drowsy head tree rootsreach down, chattering at one anothersashaying through the dirt, sticking mein the eyes, raking through my hair.Bulbs and tubers press down on meas they crack open.And the faint incessant sounds:The skirmish of bird feet, of fawn hooves, the […]

Persephone Wakes – Nancy Dunlop