Gardner-Webb University
Digital Commons @ Gardner-Webb University
Reflections
Literary Societies and Publications
1989
Reflections 1989
Melissa Brown
Joyce Compton Brown
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Recommended Citation
Gardner-Webb University Literary Publications, Reflections, 1989, series 4, Box 4, University Archives, Gardner-Webb University,
Boiling Springs, NC.
lections
*
8
9
REFLECTIONS
Volume
21
1989
STAFF
Melissa
Diann Brown,
Editor
Dawn Camp
Ren
Chaskalis
Deborah
Cravey
Melissa
Henslee
Kathy
Henson
Scott
Lawlor
Michelle O’Brien
FACULTY
ADVISOR
<p
Table
of
Contents
Melissa
Brown
LouiseAnderson
FrontispieceHenry
Styron ArtistinPain 1Craig
Lewis
PictureMemory
2
Stephen
Wade
Gamm
Illusion 3Michelle O’Brien Reprieve 4 ErnestBlankenship
The
Squirreland
theHawk
5Kathy
Henson
A
man
undertooktopaint... 6Joan
Kylesa
For
Pam
7Susan
Bell Elizabethat Twelve 8Scott
Lawlor
The
Most
Deadly
Threat 9Deborah
Ann
Cravey
Adobe
Man
11Billie
Ford
Dixon
Cheated 12Joan
KylesShadows
on
theMountain
13Dawn Camp
WaterBillowing 14Ren
ChaskelisMy
Viking 15 MelissaHenslee
Musing on
Despair 16Les
Brown
Ocrakoke
17Mary
Beth
Searcy M_l!18
Deborah
Ann
Cravey
Lonesome
Thunder
19Craig Maglii
Jackhammer
20 MelissaDiann
Brown
Michelangelo 21Gene
Penner
Unknown
Stranger22
Anna
ChristineVaughn
Forsaken 23Les
Brown
Lawndale-Belwood
Road
26Joan
Kyles Jericho 28Joyce
Compton Brown
Mill-townSunday
29Ren
Chaskelis Novelette 30JLynnCarpenter-Kceter Destinedto
Be
Trapped
30
Gene
Penner
The
MightyHunter
31Michelle
O’Brien
An
Alternative32
Deborah
Ann
Cravey
WiseWords
32
Henry
D.
Styron JesusWho?
33Ernest Blankenship Reincarnation?
34
Michelle
O’Brien
American
Dream
35 JoyceCompton Brown
Sylviaand
theBees
36
Craig
Lewis
To
the Existence,"God"
37 LisaJ.SabbarthDie
FinalCurtain 38Christy
Diane Hart
The
51st State 39Karen
Martin
Die Tower
39
Gene
Penner
Easter, 197040
Dennis
Quinn
Long
Thoughts DiatinMy
Mind
Doth
Rest 41Henry
D.
StyronWho
Decides What'sReal,Anyway?
42
Billie
Ford Dixon
Ramesses
43Dawn
ElaineCamp
TallWooden
Soldiers 44Sharon
Nichols DiroughthePages ofmy
Mind
44
Craig
Lewis
PrinceWithout aKing
45 MelissaDiann
Brown
FigLeaf
46Joan
KylesPendulum
47 MelissaDiann
Brown
Cottage 489
CONTRIBUTORS
SUSAN
BELL,
instructorofartERNEST
BLANKENSHIP,
associateprofessor ofEnglishJOYCE
COMPTON
BROWN,
professor ofEnglishLES
BROWN,
professor of biologyMELISSA
DIANN BROWN,
seniorFrench/English major,artminor
DAWN
ELAINE
CAMP,
freshman communications major
REN
CHASKELIS,
seniorcommunications major
DEBORAH
CRAVEY,
juniorcommunications/Englishmajor
BILLIE
FORD
DIXON,
juniorEnglish major,artmin
orSTEPHEN
WADE
GAMM,
freshman French major
CHRISTY
HART,
freshman
biologymajor
MELISSA HENSLEE,
senior history/Englishmajor
KATHY
HENSON,
freshman
Englishmajor
LYNN
CARPENTER-KEETER,
instructorofEnglishJOAN
KYLES,
juniorEnglishmajor
SCOTT
K.LAWLOR,
seniorEnglishmajor
CRAIG
LEWIS,
seniorcommunications major
KAREN
MARTIN,
juniorEnglishmajor
CRAIG
MEGLII,
sophomore math
major
SHARON
NICHOLS,
seniorliberal artsmajor
MICHELLE
LYNN
O’BRIEN,
seniorsocialsciencesmajor
GENE
PENNER,
seniorreligionmajor
DENNIS
QUINN,
associateprofessor ofEnglishLISA
J.SABBAJRTH,
seniorcriminaljusticemajor
MARY
BETH
SCARCY,
seniormathematicsmajor
HENRY
D.
STYRON,
juniorcommunications major
ANNA
CHRISTINE
VAUGHN,
juniorliberal artsmajor
Each
yeartheEnglishDepartment
ofGardner-Webb
College sponsors aliterarycontest forallstudent submissions
chosen
for publicationinReflections. Faculty
and
nonstudent submissionsarenoteligiblefor thecontest. All
works
arejudged anonymously by
thefinalcontest judges.Thisyear’sjudges
were
Dr.A. Frank
Bonner,Mr.
ThirlenOsborne, and
Dr.
William
B.Stowe.FirstPlace:
Second
Place:Third
Place:AWARDS
Shadows
on
theMountain
Michelangelo
Prince withouta
King
Joan
KylesMelissa
Diann
Brown
Craig
Lewis
HONORABLE
MENTION
Artist inPain
Noticingthe
Green
Pendulum
Fig
Leaf
Henry
Styron CraigLewis
Joan
KylesART
CONTEST
The
Art
Department
ofGardner-Webb
College hassponsoredan
artcon-testforallstudent submissions
chosen
forpublicationinReflections.Faculty
and
nonstudent submissionsarenoteligibleforthecontest. Allworks
arejudged by
thefinalcontest judges. Thisyear’sjudgeswere
CharlotteSlice,
Richard
Drye,and Susan
Bell.FirstPlace:
Second
Place:Third Place
AWARDS
Louise
Anderson
All
American
Boy
Ramesses
Melissa
Diann
Brown
Sumi
Watanabi
Billie
Ford Dixon
HONORABLE
MENTION
Jackhammer
Marie
Antoinette'sCottageCraig Meglii
ise
Amde:
9
Artist in
Pain
Enteradimly-lit
room
Illuminated only
by
a Fluorescentclockand two
activatedhighway-distressmarkers.
Behold
a sullen minstrelAblaze
withapathy.He
and
realityhad
adisagreement,and
theywent
theirseparateways.And
sohe
sits,creating breathtakingly beautiful music,
For
lackofanythingBetter
todo.
Henry
StyronPicture
Memory
Ihavea picture
memory
Of
my
fatherand
me
iNlat theonly
memory
ofkirnThave,LSuttheonly
one
tobringaglimmer
of recognition;And
not atruememory,
hnl ratherlikeAn
old,fading painting,one
IperiodicallyretouchWith
occasional glancesatanoldphotograph
InthispictureI
am
dancing,young and
exuberantIfaintly recalltheoccurrence
My
checkered
blueshirtand
brown
shortsAnd
thebrown
room
areallinclearfocusIvaguelyrecollect
them
allAnd
closebehind me,
atmy
left,sitsmy
father;But whether he
watchesme, and
what
hisexpressionshows,Icannot
remember
--The
pictureshows
onlyhislegs-I
have
a truememory
Of
my
fatherand
me
The
only suchmemory
Ihave,Culled
from
my
experience withoutaphoto
reminder, Distortedby
timeand
distanceInto
something
surrealand
unrealInthis
memory
Iam
minuscule, holdingsome
toyI
am
lookingup
atmy
father,he’sbig as a treeIrecollect surprise
and
happinessatseeinghim
hereHe
isby
thecloset,perhapsgettinghiscoatIask
him
ifheishome
fortheday
He
repliesthatheisnot,hemust go
out againIrecallrecurrence,
and
disappointment—
Iharbor
no
such disappointment now,I
house no
anger, orevencuriosity, atthistime,For
Ihave onlyone
picturememory,
And
one detached memory,
almostlikea pictureinmy
hand,Of
aman
Ido
notknow.
Craig
Lewis
Illusion
Gazing
inawe,asshimmering
crystalwaterflows endlesslyovertheemerald
greenrocks.The
suninitsbeautyradiatesbeams
ofcrystal lightthroughthewaterastheripples, likediamonds,rollswiftlyby.
My
hands:Like
an
illusionUnder
the water.The
blood
won’twash
off...Ican’tseem
togetmy
hands
wet....Anillusion...
I
know
thewaterisreal: Icanfeelthe coolness;Icanseethesun gleaming, eventastethe crispnessthroughthesmell thatonlya
clean
mountain
streampossesses.The
blood
isreal:Dried
likebrown
icingOn
achild’sfingersTurned
tostone.Likescales
on
my
hands,Ithasdried
and
become
A
partofme.
...A
demon
hasscales...Still,itisreal.
Iretainthe smellofdeath
on
me.
The
blood
iswet
on
my
uniform, preservedinthatstateby
my
sweat.Itsmellslike
warm
death,cookingslowlyinanoven....An illusionit’snot...
Maybe
it’sjustmy
mind.Istillcan’tgetthisbeautiful clearwatertodis-solve theclots. Itwon’tevensoftenthem.
Only
you,Only you
can helpme
now.Come
forth!No
feelings.No
pain. Shieldme
now!
My
breathingbecomes
intense asmy
eyesopen
wide.Gettingup,I
stomp
inthestream.A
cloudof sootemerges from
thedis-ruption.I
wash
my
hands
and
leave.Stephen
Wade
Gamm
Reprieve
Call to darkness,
cover
me.
I’llnotsee,
I’llnot
be
seen.Feelthe
shadows
swallow
me.
Embrace
me
and embraced
be.The
Squirrel
and
the
Hawk
The
squirrelworked
diligentlybuildingitsnestinthe fork ofatree.Itgatheredstraw,leaves,
and
whateveritcouldfindAnd
carriedthem up
the treeand
carefullyputthem
inplaceTo make
acozynestinwhich
tosleepand
storeitsfood.Itcarried acorns,nuts,pinecones,fruit,
and
other ediblebitsofgreeneryAnd
storedthem
diligently foritswinter’sfeast.Meanwhile
thehawk
soaredlazilyoverheadOccasionallywhistlingbutwatchingthe
movements
of thesquirrel.When
the squirrelwas
finishedand
readyto settle inThe hawk
thoughtthatitwas
time.He
divedfrom
a great distanceStrikingthe squirrel halfin
and
halfoutofitshouse.The
hawk’stalonsclutchedthe squirrelfirmly,But
theimpactshattered the house. All the residue of thehouse
and
foodfellAnd
was once
more
scatteredon
theground.ErnestBlankenship
A Man
Undertook
to
Paint
A
man
undertook
to painthishouse
one
morning.Afterseveraldays
he
was
finishedexceptforthe highest gable.So
he
gota ladderand
leaneditup
highagainstthehouse.And
climbedup
slowlywithhisbucketand
brush.He
was happy and
hiswifewas
satisfied;she’dbeen
nagginghim
aboutthisfora longtime.
He
whistleda tuneand
hisbrushwent back and
forth rhythmically.And
asparrow whizzed around
thecornerand
dodged
theman’s
noseby
centimeters.
He
lost hisbalance, teeteredand
fell.And
the paintlay likewhiteblood on
theman
and
theground
and
thehouse.
Kathy
Henson
For
Pam
Women
know
what
men
canonly surmise:
thatlove, likethe
moon,
hasadarkside
which
iscold,remote,scarred.
o
And
we
arebound,fused,sistersurvivorsofour
own
personalholocausts,branded by
ourwomanhood
like
some
Auschwitz
tattoo.So
we
bequeath
ourlegacy ofpaintoour daughtersand
pray theybecome
warriors, yetwe
cannot teachthem
how.
Joan
KylesThe
Most
Deadly
Threat
2/22/86
Ican’tthinkofanythingof value to saybutI
must keep
up
withtheworld
in
which
Ilive.Headlines:
THE
SOVIET
UNION HAS
THREATENED
TO
FIRE
THE
FIRST
NUCLEAR
MISSILE
TOWARDS
THE
UNITED
STATES
TODAY. PRESIDENT
REAGAN
SAYS
"We
willnotdiewithout afight.
We
must
stay together asacountryand
perish as aunionofpeople
who
havethecourageto...The
world
isno
more.The
Russianshave destroyedus,and
we
haveat-tempted
todestroythem.But
what’s theuseifwe’reallgoingtodieanyway?
We
thoughtwe
destroyedeachother,buthavewe?
No.
We
havejustdestroyedourselves.Ishould
know.
I’m lookingattheworld
from
astarcallClibus
ZX-21.
It’sastarthatIfound
whileIwas
travelingina spaceshipmany
years ago.Isomehow knew
thattheworld
would end
thisway.
So
Ihave takenapermanent
vacationon
thisstarthatisfaraway.Now
Ihave seentheworld
inwhich
Ihaveliveddisappearinasingle flashof brightcolors.I
know
it’ssad butIguesstheRussiansdidn’tlovethen-children as
much
aswe
had
hoped.3/10/86
Life
on
thisstarislonely.Sometimes
IwishIhad
stayedintheworld
from
which
Icame
soIcouldhave died withmy
people.Ihavefound
no
enemy,
friend,animal, or flower.Now
Irealizehow
lonelypeople canbe.I
sometimes
wonder
ifIspentenough
time withmy
fellowpeople.Ithinkaboutthatquestiona greatdeal outhereinspace.Afterthinkingaboutit
I
know
theanswer.The
answerisno.Here
Iam
strandedon
astarwithno one
or nothing.Now
Iknow
the truemeaning
ofloneliness.4/25/87
Gee
Ihope
my
spaceship works.Ihaven’tused
thisthingina longtime.Iwant
togetoffthisdamn
starand
findlifesomewhere
else.4/29/87
The
shiphasbeen
travelingforafew
days.But
now
on
thisdate,(the29thof April,1987)Iseeaplanet.Ilandthe ship
and
look outthewindows.
At
first Isee nothing,but then suddenlya large
group
ofpeople surroundstheship.Ihear
many
voicesnone
ofwhich
Ican understand.Some
of thepeople begin knocking
on
thewindows and
door.Slowlythe violent noisesof thebarbaricpeopleinthe
new
world
trans-form
intoasofttapon
my
bedroom
door.Thissound
gentlywakes me,
and
asIopen
my
eyesIam
aware
that thisexperiencewas
adream,
one
which
was
triggeredby
astringofwords."Ican’tthinkofanything of valuetosay,butImust keep
up
withtheworld
inwhich
I live."2/23/86
Afterthe
dream
the fears thatIhave concerning a nuclearwar and
itspotential threat are
more
realthanever.Ihope
thatsomeday
thesuperpowers
of theworld
willbe
able toputdown
theirtoysof destructionand
use
words
to obtaintheir goals.1987
On
the 8thday
of the12thmonth
ofthisyeartheUnited
Statesand
the SovietUnion
signeda treatythatwould
eliminateawhole
classofnuclearmissiles.
Now
my
fearsofthemost
deadlythreat tothisworldarereduced
because
of thehope between
thesetwo
countries.Scott
K
Lawlor
Adobe
Man
A
pregnanthush; Twilightbreathesan
anxiousquiver ofceremonialpas-sage
As
thedrums
begintorumble
And
the scent of mistpursuestheshadows
of the jungleItpenetrates the
humid
ghosts of time,Invitesthesweatingfog to writheinrhythmicfrenzywiththe
waves
ofatorch-fedflame
And
Irumble,feeltherumble.Islither
down
thewarm
folliclesofyourposture,Flicking
my
prideabouttomoistentheheatofeachcreviceWhile
a thought-evokingtasteofsanctityburnsquietthrough your smolderingpores:To
view yourstructureisto witness thegrandeurof ancient architectureMy
Mayan
House
ofTruthHow
you
stifflystandand
beckon—
Bold
and
steady,you
repeatthemoon’s
softrhythmsinyourdarkestwindow’s
digitalglance—Making
me
rumble,feelthe rumble...Iascend
you
slowly toyourgolden summit,Pausingatthealtarwithadesperate prayerto themotionsof eternity
Tattooed
wallsof primitivewisdom,
solidwithcenturiesof sun-broiledmagic,
Riseto
break
yoursilence.Instinct calls
me
once
again,(Hear
therumble...Heartherumble)Yearn
totastethedustleftyou
nature’sbreathYou
are thegrandestofshadows
And
Imust
offermyselfinsacrifice—If onlyto find the endless
drums
thatecho
therumblingsofmy
own
recklessspirit.
Deborah
Ann
CraveyCheated
The
new
skinofmy
bedroom
walls,(A
rosetintedsemi-vinyl)Achieves
withitsbusy lace-anddaisyemblem
A
Victorian nuance.Traveling Retroverted,
Back
intoaworld
ofhigh-toppedboots, Strait-lacedtimesofstraightfacedminds
—
There
descends asanity unfeltinhigher-flyingtimesofCoke
and
coke.Imprisoned by
a gildedframe
Grandsire
and
dam
peerout,frozenintime—
Foreveroblivious to the betrayalOf
honor,truthand
Duty.They
think thebarbershopstilldoesA
nickel shoeshine.Billie
Ford Dixon
Shadows
on
the
Mountain
He
had
come
a longway
from
themossy
hollowsofAppalachia
tothemill village
—
therow
housesdistinguishableonly
by
thedreams
oftheirtenants.Some
dreamed
ofmoving
up
atthemill,abetterhouse,
acar.
Some
only ofgoinghome
togreen mountains.Daddy
dreamed
ofmusic: banjo,dulcimer,mandolin
woke
from
silence tohisrugged hands.In theevenings
when
theskyturnedsoft
and
purplehewould
siton
theporch
and
playsimple songsofdeathand
lostloves,lonesome
mountains
and wandering
sons.I
would
press againsthispaint splatteredlegs,drawn
tothewild
summer
in hiseyes,sisterto the
moths
thatfrettedagainstthe
porch
screenstraining
toward
the lamplight.Ilongedfor his
hand
totouchme
as lovingly asitstrokedthedulcimerresting
on
his lap.The
music
splinteredaround me,
the
sound
oreach notesequestered.
I
found
otherarms
toholdme,
seekingthatlove
which
issometimes
nothidden
likeshadows
indarkness.Yet
there are nightswhen
Iam
orphaned by
sleepthatthefragmentof atuneor thesweetdriftofhoneysuckle touches
me,
and
Iam
comforted by
summer
memories
as
smooth and
worn
asprayerbeads
strung
by
callousedhands.Joan
KylesV^ater Billowing
Dawn Camp
Water-billowing
And
cresting,foaming, then recedingVery
quickly.Evening
iscoming.The
Sun
issettingon
therollingwater.My
Viking
I
keep
withme
alwaystheonly picture ofyou
inexistence.You
insistupon
remainingthat faraway from commonness.
It isthe
common man
thatyou
staunchlyserve,using thesame
enormous,
callousedhands
thateasilyspan aboutmy
waist,liftingme
from
my
agonies.The
sole,fadingand
yellowedimage
freezesyou
foreverinyourabandoned homeland.
a
Your mask
doesn’tevenacknowledge
thecamera,nor doesitliftforany butthe painfullychosenfew.Even
then,theimage
we
receiveisasfuzzyabouttheedgesasyour photograph.Even
my
childhoodknew
your;watching yourstepsso firmand
sure,giant’s
body
strongand
unyielding.Your
future carefullyplanned,forcefully stridingthroughlifewhileIstumbled aboutinyour shadow,
oftenrunning
headlong
intoyourwalls.I
come
away
bruisedand
bleeding,seeingyoureyes registeringapology but yourlipsofferingnone.My
lastgoodby
ranginOctober.Imagine
my
shockwhen
you
refusedtolisten.Why
do you want
tochange
yourpicturenow?
To
turnitscold,graylandscapetowarmer
climates.You
chose yourbackdrop
years ago;it’sfartoolatetoalteryour format now.
Those
carefullystructuredwallscan never
be
torndown,
notevenby
theircreator.
Ren
ChaskelisMusing
on
Despair
Perhaps,I
am
eatingfruitfrom
treeswhich
willonlybringme
misery.Iwander
aimlesslythroughthegarden
of beautifulfruit,butnone
ofthem
areforme.
The
fruitonly sickensme
afterIhavebeen tempted
to tryabite.Ilayme
down
atnightto rest inabower, butthebower
isfullof thorns,and
my
body and
my
spiritachestomove
on.I situnder
a treetoreadormeditateinthegarden, butthe leavesof the treebegintowitherand
todrop.Hence
thereis
no
shade.Iattempttopet thelionwho
dandlesalamb
in hispaw,and he
suddenlybecomes
ferociousand
menac-ing.Ipick a rose
which
Iknow
tohavea pleasantsmell,and
my
nostrilsarefilledwithdecayasthe petalsbegintofalltotheground. Yes! Paradiseisfilledwithbeauty,but
at
my
touch, beauty,along withvirtueand
truthdisappear.Where
areyou
Father,my
onlysourceoflightand
truth?Why
doesmy
soullackwisdom
and
purpose?Nurture
thatseedof love
which you
implantedinme
atthetimemy
soulfeltlife.
Melissa
Hens
leeOcracoke
Arching
wings breaktheburning skyastrembling
hands and
eagereyestrytocapturethegifts
of thedyingday.
Foolishare the eyesthatrefuse to see the
shimmering
blendofsky
and
sea,broken
onlyby
thestilted legsof the egretor the leap ofamullet.
A
trioofyoung
yellowcrowns
stands silhouettednearthesilent,
blacksculpture of the tranquil executioner’sblind,
The
heron’sblankred-circled curiouseyefillsmy
scopeinuntranslated
communication
asthesealicks
away
thesandsofOcracoke.
While
thepathof theskimmer’s huntripsthe quietglasswater before
me,
thesun drops behindthesilentsound,
leaving thetenuous
narrow
landto night. Istherevalueinmy
witnesson Ocracoke?
Am
Iworthy
ofmore
thanthegreenhead
or themutilated crabthat strugglesatthefeetof thelaughinggull?
Les
Brown
n \i
It
was
a stereotypeday
For
avisitwithin thewrought
irongates.The
earlymorning
shroudClung
tomy
clothesand
limphairThen
sankintomy
soul.An
inescapablechillechoed
within.Step
by
stepRow
afterrow,I
saw
plasticflowers.Even
thefadedpetalsOf
embarrassed
poinsettiasinMarch
Were
clumped
inthathideous green foam.Ireached
my
destination.My
pilgrimagehad
ended.No,
itwasn’t atempleOr
a holyshrine,But
only a piece ofwhite marble, Inanimate,coldimpenetrable.The
name
had
become
Justlettersperfectlychiseled.
As
well,the datesWere
onlynumbers.A
lifetimehad been condensed
To
an n
Mary
Beth SearcyLonesome Thunder
How
subtlethe cry oflonesome
thunder.How
itechoestheprideofsolitude,Rollingthrough mirrorsof the past
As
itfracturestheglassoftimeTonightIfeelyourabsencelikean
amputated
limbAllaround,the furniturestares,
dares
me
toprovemy
ownershipSilencedrips,
I
am
leftsuspended.My
mind
isdrowned
inatideof visions—Sweeping waves
of futuresatisfactionsIcan’tbring myselftospeakThey
shoveme
forward,They
haphazardlyripthefleshofmy
spirit,They
straintopullthewhole
ofme
back
to onlylastnight,Where we
touched
the ragingembers
of desirewithour innocent tonguesAnd
swam
toshore unscathed. Itwas
a flood;The
watersroseand
rose,engulfingevery free-flowingthoughtinlife-preservingpassion
And
thenslowly,thestormsubsided,As we
floated topersonalislands,gently linkedby
ourpacificfingertips...
Whispered words
ofsolidaritypermeated
thecoreof respect—sealed ourdestiniesforeternity
And
ourinsecurities forthenight.Morning
threatened,Calling ustofacethe rain of daylight
A
torridembrace,a soul-lubricatingkiss inafutileattemptto
summarize
emotion,And
once
againI’mon
my
own
Now
awaning
moon
weeps
steadyasI sitinanisolatedvacuum,
Consumed
inan achingvoidand
watchingtheskyforclouds.Deborah
Ann
CraveyMichelangelo
Listen
now
to thesongsyou drew
With
yourpencil singingfreelyacross thepaper,Though
notone drunken
lineWas
discordinyourmasterpieces.Gloatnow,forthefruitsofyourskill
Have
withstoodthe scoldings of theMaster.Pieta,
once
cuddledinstone,Was
freedby
thekissesofyourtools.Strength
and
beauty harmonize,And
allthe childrenyou
carvedOut
oftheirmarble
wombs
Stillthriveto singtheir father’s
name.
Melissa
Diann
Brown
Unknown
Stranger
The
sudden awakening
ofMichael
Jackson screamingofhow
bad he
isfollowed
by
the sloshing ofsoapand
the splatteringofwater
the
monotone
whine
of the hair dryerand
the crackling ofgrease dancing
around
thehotsausagethemetalbirds
which
pierce theatmosphere
withthe roar ofaseashella
hundred
times amplifiedo
thebellowingthunderof twentiethcentury dinosaurs
ferociouslyburrowing,digging,
and
pushingmounds
ofsoilthe gargling of
Macks,
Internationals,and
Fergusons along withBuicks, Cadillacs,and
Rabbitsthe authoritativeinsultofimpatient horns
mixed
withtiresscreeching with pain
crying to stop the scraping
by
the asphaltsirens,
behind
you,infrontof you,besideyou,coming, goingthe seclusion ofbeingina small
room
thelevelof silenceisdeafening
slowlysmall noisesbegin
making
themselvesknown
thecrackof
wood
expandingunderneath
the sun’s rays thehigh pitchedflutterof afly’swing
your breathing your heartbeat
i’mnotalone
who
areyou
idon’t
know
you
where
didyou
come
from
"I’vealways
been
here,you
justcouldn’thearme."Gene
Fenner
Forsaken
She
wearilylayamong
tornpaper
and abandoned, empty
boxesand was
aware
of only thetickinggrandfatherclockand
thehypnotizinglightsofthetree.
The
house
was
stillbutthe excited voices ofhappy
childrenstillechoed
inherears.Now
a strangetranquilityreigned overthehouse; hermother and
sisters,exhaustedfrom
gettingup
at5:30am,had gone back
tosleep,
and
onlyshewas
consciousof the mysterious,almosteeriesensa-tionthat
had permeated
not only the house,butalsoherheart.Suddenly
the
phone
rang, interrupting the silence ofChristmasday.She had
no
idea
who
itwas,butwhen
sheanswered
she immediately recognizedthestill-familiarvoice
on
the otherend
of thereceiver.Itwas
Him.
"Hello,"shesaid.
"Hello,"said
He.
"How
areyou
doingtoday?"sheasked,trying torelay toHim
thatshereal-lydidnotcare.
"I"mfine,
and
you?"he
askedinresponse.He
alsosounded
nonchalant, but sheknew
thatHe
was good
athidingfeelings,thoughts,secrets."I’mdoinggreat,"sheanswered. "Are
you
havingamerry
Christmas?""Yes,thankyou.
How
has yours been?""Wonderful," shereplied. Polite
words and
phraseswere
almost depletedfrom
hermind,and
thelineremained
silentasshe desperately searched herbrainforanothersetofwords.She
tried tothink ofanythingtosaybut kept runninginto
dead
ends."How
iseveryonethere?"He
questioned.She was
extremelyrelieved thathe had been
able to findanothersafe topic of conversation."They
areallfine.How
isyourfamily?""Oh, theyaredoingquitewell.Iwilltell
them
thatyou
asked."She
listened to the cracklingconnection,and
shehelplessly realized that the500mileswhich
separatedthem was
onlyminute
incomparison
tothe distancethat laybetween
their hearts.Moments
passed,seeming
likehours.
She wanted
tosayotherwords, buttherewas
nothinglefttosay.No
more
words
existed thatwould keep
herbitterness, hurt,and
con-fusionlockedsafeinthe
deep
darknessofherheart.And
therewas
anotherfeelingshe
had
nurturedinsidewhich was worse
thanany otheremotion
she nurtured insidewhich was worse
than any otheremotion
shehad
everexperienced;ifwas
evengreaterthanthe bitternessand
ragewhich had hardened
hersoul.Itwas
herbest-keptsecret,and
she couldnot,
would
not,sayanythingthatmightrevealthishidden
truthwhich
tore savagelyatherheart. 23You
see,theman
on
theotherend
ofthose500miles oftelephonelinewas
aman
shehad once
lovedmore
thananyotherinheruniverse.Long
ago she
had
believedthathe
honestlyand
trulylovedher, too.She
now
feltfoolishthatshe
had
believedHe
would
actually cherishherasshehad
cherished
Him, admire
herasshehad admired Him, and
protectherinHisheart asshe
had guarded
Him
inhers;He
was
herFirstLove.She
wanted
to kick herselfforblindlytrusting thatitwould
lastforever, the perfectfairytale.Fairytaleswere
for beautiful,enchantingwomen
likeCinderella,
Snow
White,and
Sleeping Beauty,and
sheknew
shewould
not
awaken
to findHim
standingabove herand
smilingwithloveinHiseyes.
She was
not extremely gorgeousorwitty,nor did shepossessanycharacteristicof
grand
caliber,but sheonce had been
convincedthatshewas
special toHim
simplybecauseofwho
shewas.Then came
adarkday
when
shefellthroughtheLooking
glassand
discovereduglyreality:He
had
chosenanother.Although
days,weeks,evenyearshad
passedsince that day,shestillhad
no
otherto takeHisplace.But
thatwas
notwhat
causedthestabbingachetopuncture herheart.
She
had been
rejectedand abandoned,
yet thatwas
notthesourceofherterminal agony.This unhealingwound
(oh, itappeared
tohealattimes,but then anyincident-aphone
call,aletter,a
rumor
reopened and
inflictedthe sorewithevengreater pain)was
herhidden
secret,and
itwas
simplythefactthatshe couldno
longer share anywords
of truesubstancetothisman
towhom
shehad once been
soveryclose.
She
refusedtoletHim
realizethatshestilllovedHim
and
wanted
tobe
enfoldedinHisarms once
again.She
was determined
nottoreveal thatherfeelings consisted ofanything
more
thanpolitewords and
phrases,although herheart didachetotell
Him
otherwise.She
did notwant
herhearttocontinuetogrow
hard towardsHim. Perhaps
ifshetoldHim,
her malignanttumor
ofbitterpainwould
finallydisintegrate.She
may
evenbe
able tohavearealrelationship withHim
againifshe could putaside the five-year-oldmemories
ofone
steelgrayMarch
day
when
He
saidgood-bye.Every muscle
inherbody
tensedand
herheartpounded
wildly;everypart ofherwanted
totellHim
the truththatshestilllovedHim
and
desiredtobe
close toHim
again.She
knew
shewould
havetosacrificeherstubbornpride,
and
takingthat riskwas
scarybecauseitmake
hervulnerable.But
she
had
totellHim
inspiteofHisdesertingher.Her
leftpalm was
stick-ing to thetelephone
from
thepouringsweat,and
her otherhand
played nervously withthe curlytelephonecord.She
feltdizzyand
slightlyfinally
had begun
toexperienceapeace
shehad
notfeltfor years.She
decidedtotell
Him. She
tookadeep
breathand
opened
hermouth,
and
He
asked,"How
isschool?"Another
safetopic,she wrylythought."It’sgreat.
How’s
work?""It’sgoingwell."
There
was
anothersmallsilence,though notforlong;therewere no
othernicetiestoexchange.
"I
suppose
Ihad
bettergo,"He
stated."Yes,
me
too,"shereluctantlyreplied."Ilove you."
She
wondered
ifHe
only said thewords
tosaythem,orifHe
really
meant
them
and
was
simplyafraidofallowinganyemotion
to leaveHis
heartnakedly exposed.She
thoughtforamoment
and
thenreplied,"Ilove
you
too.Good-bye and
Merry
Christmas."She
heardtheclickofthe receiverfollowedby
thebuzz
of theempty
line,but she continuedtohold
on
forone
moment
longer.She
thenslowly released thephone and
inadaze returnedtothelivingroom. She
lay inthefloor
among
thelitter-tornpaper once
brightand
shining,abandoned
boxes
once
filledwithgifts.She
shuthereyes asifthatmotion would
somehow
shutout thepain,and
tiny tearspooled
inthecornersofhereyesbeforethey gently rolled
down
hercheekbones
tothefloor.Her
mouth
formed
silent;words,itdidnot matterhow
loud shespoke because
the
message
shewas
sendingwas one
of theheart."Why
didmy
fairy talehaveto
end
thisway? There
willneverbe
anyothertotakeHis
place.Why
didithavetobe
likethis?I stillloveHim.
I stilllove you, Father.Can
you
hearme?
I stillloveyou...Daddy."She
softly cried.The
L&wmdale-Belwood
Road
"ROCK’S
COUNTRY
STORE"
Look
atthegood
oldboysHanging
around.Where?
There
inthedark besidethe storeLeaning on
thetruck.They
were
out there thelasttimewe
came
through. In therain,inthemist.Ibetthey’re out thereeverynight.
It’sSunday.Itdoesn’t matter.
I’llbet they’retelling dirtyjokes,
Talkingabout guns
and
cars.Their timeislikethe
road ahead
Vanishingintodarkness everynight.
They
establishtheirtenuousdominance
In painless vulgar sparring.
The wounds
rundeep
And
asfarintolifeAs
theroadintothenight.Ineverbled.
On
theLawndale-Belwood
Road
ahead
The
onlylights reflectfrom
signs,And
from
afew dim windows
With
framessilhouettedlike crosses.I
know
thisplacewell.They came
from
thewindows,They came
withthedarknessAs
Ididlongago.Ileanedtheretoo
With
othersno
longerinthe dark,And
theyvanishintothe nightbehind
us.Les
Brown
Jericho
You
neverspokeof theone
who
sowounded
you
withlove,yetshe
was
there:aghostinyour
wary
eyes,inthefaint linesthat
framed
Your mouth
likesentinelsguarding every word.
Your
practicedtouchand
prettylieswere
enough
forthesmooth-skinnedgirls
you
skimmed
likefoam.But
Iwanted
toholdthesuninplaceforyou;
afoolish
Joshua
to thinkifI
found
therightnotesthatjust likeJericho,
yourwalls
would
come
tumbling
down.
Joan
KylesMill-town
Sunday
We
ride oiled clayroadsPastthe rusty
combine and Mitch
Jordan’shog
pen
blooming
withhollyhocks,Past sorrel
and chickweed
pushing through
garden remnants
ofcotton farms,To
ourusualgraveledspace.Inourstiff
Sunday
cotton dressesand French
heelswe
walk
thehot,mud-streaked sidewalkintochurch,Intocoolquiet, intotransformation.
Arching
windows overpower
reality,diffusing
by
thebeautyoftheirlight.The
sanctuary glows withold familiarstories,withholiness
and
orderand
truthbeyond
time.We
aresurrounded
by
Moses
and Joseph and
theGood
Samaritan;the
boy
Jesusinthe temple,Mary
and
theempty
tomb.The
lightshinesthroughChristintheGarden.
His
stainedglasswhiteand
crimson robesglow
withmorning
sun.His
prayingface turnstoward
bluecobalt lead-fringedsky.Our
faceslifttoward
radiant Jesus,Serene
inthebeautyofceremony.Ina long
low
buildingrows
ofsteelmachines
withsharpslit-eyedneedlesthreaded
and
poisedwaitinthe vastdarksilence.
Today
theirdrone
isdeadened by
themightyroar ofBach.Backs and
fingersand weary
eyes yieldtoliturgy’sdemands.
Voicesof praiserise in dignity.
Joyce
Compton Brown
Novelette
Once
Istood, proverbially speaking;One
footinthegutter,the otherinthe grave.Lifemerely ablur of decision
and
dishonestfaces,noteven
knowing
mine
own
selfwellenough
tostumble withsecurity,keeping myselfto myself,
doomed
toremain
adevilishmysteryas thepagesof
an
unread
book.Here
Istand;justas untrusting,justas insecure,but...
What
made
you
open
thecover?Ren
ChaskelisDestined
to
be
Trapped
How
didIfitintothissnug cage?How
didIgetcaughtinthesteeljawsofthistrap?Iranhard
and
fastAnd
evengotaway. Iwas
successfuland
freeFor
suchalongtime.But
thenItripped,stumbled
and
fell.Now
Ihavebeen
caught,Again. Just as sure as
one
getsaway, Willsurely get caught, again!Lynn
Carpenter-KeeterThe
Mighty Hunter
The
mighty hunterstalks hisprey.Slowly loweringhis
body
neartheground.Hiding behind
the thickpatchesofgrass.His
prey,unaware
thatdangerisnear,Continuesto
chew
on
abladeofgrass.The
mighty hunterreadies himselffortheattack.He
firmly plantshisfeeton
theground.Then
suddenly,he
leapsforwardSlappinghismighty
paw
around
the helplessvictim.He
surroundsitwithhismouth,Gently crushingit,careful nottokillit,yet.
He
releasesitand
steps back,Watching
itstruggle,helplessfor safety.Its
huge back
legs tryingtojump, butcannot.At
therightmoment,
The
mighty hunterreleases aswiftslapfrom
his rightpaw.Then
another,and
another,And
anoccasionalsmack
withtheleft,Untilhispreyisalmostlifeless.
Then
itisreadyforconsumption,For
no
more
pleasure canbe
derivedfrom
alifelesscreature,Except
thesatisfactionoftaste.Gene
Fenner
Ah
Alternative
Open
youreyesand
stareatthe sun. wDestroy
an
irreparable nerve.That which
isdead
cannotbe
disturbed.Michelle
Lynn
O'BrienWise
Words
Seekingshelter,
The
RollingStonesencouraged sympathy
fortheDevilAnd
John
F.Kennedy
embodied
patriotism-What
couldhe
do
forour country?Would
Dylan
havewanted
usalltogetstonedon
thesame
afternoon?
Neil
Armstrong
nevertoldthe direction ofhisGiantLeap,And
Iwillalwayswonder
ifMartin
LutherKing
dreamed
incolor
Deborah
Ann
CraveyJesus
Who?
Take
sufficientpower
tocreatetheuniversewitha thought;
Shape
itintotheform and
substance of amortal
man,
Subjectittohunger,thirst
and
fatigue.Then,askthissuperbeingif
He
iswilling to sufferDegradation,humiliation,torture,
and
a horribly painful death. Allforapeople
who
willone
day
placehim
second
inImportance
behindafatman
inaredsuit.
The
answer mightsurprise you.Reincarnationi?
She
tooklittleforherselfAnd
gaveme
allshecould.She
led asimplelifeAnd
trustedintheLord.When
shewas
taken with astrokeI
was
many
milesaway
Driving
madly
throughthebad
weather,Stoppingonlytorefuel
and
forthe siren ofacop
Who
was
sympatheticwhen
Iexplainedmy
rush,I
came
as quickly asIcould;But
my
presencewas
oflittleuse.She
laythreedays without aword
And
then herlifewas
through.Istoodinsilencelooking
on
With
anger,grief, guilt,worry,and
confusionStrivingeachto rise
above
the other.There
was
nothingIcoulddo
butremember
The
radianceofalifethatwas
good,though
short.HurriedlyI
made
my
way
towhere
my
carwas parked
On
theway
Imet
asmilingman
Who,
withoutaword,handed
me
acigar.Ihelditfora
moment
and
then withfoggedeyesIreadthe
wrapper and
then unleashedmy
grief-The
wrapper
simplysaid,"It’sagirl."She must
havecome
intotheworld
About
thesame
timemy
mother
left.At
least that’swhat
Itoldmyself-When
so distressedwithin,the soulreachesout to findhope
again.ErnestBlankenship
American
Dream
Success.
Dry
minds
ageinhomogenous
buildings. Conventionality.Rewards
awaitthosewho
most
efficientlyuphold
thestatusquo.Diversion.
An
angelcriesbehindthemask
of adevil;Livingcolor characters areimprisonedin
two
dimensionalboxes.Acquired
tunnel visionironicallyproliferatessterilityofheart
and
mind
under
the guise ofresponsibilityand
duty.To
thiswe
pledgeallegiance.Michelle
Lynn
O'BrienSylvia
and
the
Bees
'The
oldqueen
does notshow
herself,issheso ungrateful?" SylviaPlathWhen
thebeesswarmed
todayIthoughtof you.Did
you watch
fatcarelessdrones tumblingfrom
squash blooms, notburdening
themselveswiththenecessarypollen
Did
you
notehow
theyplopdown
atrandom
hivesvisiting atwill,
sippingsweet concoctions forged
from
thelaborofthin,sharp workers
Did
you
noticetheirarroganceindismissing asunimportant
the evolution of thepersonalsting
And
didyou
see theflightof thevirginqueen,soaring, spiraling
upward,
drawing
cloudsofdronestoherwill,choosing
one
to claspforamoment
beforehisreturn to earth tocrawland
dieSo
thatherlifemight haveorder,thatshe mightliveexalted,the raisond'etreofthousands,
stroked, attended,
pampered,
asshebends
secureinhercellular task.
To
the
Existence,
"God"
Idon’t believe
you
actuallyexist asthosewho
do
believe,tellme
But
Ican’tdeny you
areanexistenceasrealasanything
around
me
I
do
seeyou
inmy
classesaslearnedexpertsrelateyourhistory
And
Ido
senseyourinfluenceasIreadallthewords, viewallthearts
Ihave proofofyour presence
as
my
friends cross thestreetholding yourhand
And
Ihold evidenceofyourexistence asmy
fellowstryconversion, orpersecutionIperceive
you
asanentitygivenlife
by
acollective willA
cooperative agreement,likeZeus and
Odin,King Arthur and Charlemagne,
oreven Santa ClausBut
tome, you
have yourown
distinctexistencebecauseI
am
withinyourdomain
Sometimes,Ifeel,
alone- and
IfindIcannotignoreyourexistence
away
The
Final
Curtain
..Asthecold
hand
of the nightsqueezesthelastbitof night
from
theday...The
stage curtainrisesto reveal the greatpowers
ofDarkness..."Be
wary oh you
sleepingchild,Who
dreams
ofdarkened
Moon,
Her
temptation,and
herbeauty;She’ll stealyourheart
withhersilverspoon."
...Whereinyourcuriositylies,
Itwill
be
found...Exposed...
And
molded
into thatwhich you
cannot change.For he
whose
heartachesforpower
Hungers
formaterialthings;You
no
longer belongtoyourself..."Be
wary
oh
my
eveningchild,forthetimeis
coming
soon.That
cloven-footedBeast walksproud
throughthenight,And
stronger shines theMoon."
...Theseventhact
draws
toaclose,And
slowlynow
the curtainbeginsitscumbersome march
to centerstage...
Palefacesturn, staring,wondering,they await theinevitable...
"Be
wary
laughinghypocrite,Of
the victoryyou
thinkyou’ve found.For
where
willyou
be
when
theMoon’s glow
t^rrnsto red,And
thefinalcurtain’sdown?"
LisaJ.Sabbarth
The
51st State
Cold
numbs
yourfingers,frightpiercesthrough
you
assweat
beads
upon
yourface.Your
heart racesfrantically,your
hands
shakeinchaoticmotion,voice chattersinvibrating tones; Feelings rush,nervestingle!
Ah,
thestateof confusion.Christy
Diane
HartThe Tower
Climbing
up
towardthe sun,My
thoughtsbecoming
clearer. 'tilatlastIstandBreathingthe breaths of angels
Flyingthroughtheair,
Feelingfree
from
allbinds,Allowing
my
thoughtstoroam.And
endingallasImeet
theground.Karen
MartinEaster,
1970
That’s
me
on
theright,handsomely
dressed,with
my
two
sisters.Notice
how
theymatch
withtheircutewhitedresses,
hats,
and
corsages.Ican’tdresslikethem.
Ihave a
male image
touphold.Shirt
and
tieonly,dresseswon’tdo.The
glassesIwore were
a must.Without
them
I’dhavefoursisters.
The
couch
inthebackground
is stillthere,
aftersheddingitsskin several times.
The
bare paneledwall,which
thecouch
rests against,is
now
litteredwithtrophiesof theforest.Long
Thoughts
that
in
My
Mind
Doth
Rest
(After
SirThomas
Wyatt
the Elder)
Elizabeth!
My
GloriousLiege,Thou
Queen
ofagespast,Hath
heldthysway
o’erheartsand minds
ofmen
For
fartoolong!Methinks
thy reignshouldend!Thy
gloryshouldbe
toldintruthatlast!Infact,the glory of thy court
was
dast-Ardly
asallthe others’foreit.Even
though you
spentsome
time lockedinYourself,
once
sprung,compassion
fadedfast.You
killedyoung
Tichborne,Southwell,too,’Causethey
were
Catholics,but Francis Drake’sOne
millionpounds from
Spanish townswere
stakesWhich
you,Your
Pious Highness, calledyour due!Intruth,
My
Liege,you were
forsurealiberatedbroad,But
storiesofyourkindlybeautyconstitute a fraud.Dennis Quinn
Who
Decides
What’s
Real,
Anyway?
Outsidethe wallsof
Here
and
Now,
yetbeforetheboundariesof
Notquitethen,
therestands apalatialhovel.
Within, the
Old
and
theNew
cavort as equals.A
veryoldman
withareceding foreheadchatsabouttheweather with ahigh-techwarlockwearing a
cowboy
hat.The
impactoftheirdiscussionwill
be
feltfarand
wide,or,perhaps, notatall.And
theAngel
ofDeath
sitsmoroselyina corner,
drinkinganotherbeer.
Henry
D.Styron"Harnesses
5 'Billie
Ford Dixon
Tall
Wooden
Soldiers
Tall
wooden
soldiersstandinginRows.
Linesthatstretch into Eternity.Never
bending. JustSilent,straight soldiers.
Dawn
ElaineCamp
Through
the
Pages
of
My
Mind
Through
thepagesofmy
mind,Isee countlessmirrors
showing
one
of thesame.Round
likethe funnelmy
thoughtsgo,uncontrollableand
colorless...Serene
and calm
onlyinthedreams
ofmy
heart...longingtoBecome
alivingrealitythoughfrightenedby what
may
be
discovered.Each
doorway
offersmultiple opportunities ofdarkand
light...Through
thepagesofmy
mind.Sharon
NicholsPrince
Without
a
King
Surrounded by
pastand
present influences,He
would
bringintoexistenceA
princewithoutakingA
successorborn
ofno queen
The
nexttodon
a mantle,situpon
athrone,Without
blood-ties,royal or otherwise.A
peasantboy
Who
boldly strodeup
tovenerableMerlin,Proclaimed
himselfand
refusedapprenticeship;Who
freedsplendid Excaliburfrom
thestone Beforethestartledand
awed
assemblage;And
who
satconfidently, withawisdom
Learned
butuntaught.Craig
Lewis
Fig
Leaf
Rectitude is
no
excuseforthefigleaf
thathangs
unsupported
on
aRoman
Copy.Melissa
Diann
Brown
Pendulum
Ileave
my
doors unlockedatnightnow,forperhapsa passing
someone
who
couldwant
what you
refused.For
lunchtoday,I
opened
adented canofmushroom
soup
(as
much
pastitsprime
asI)prayingfor
some
lurkingancientplague
which
would
exciseyou from
my
mind.And
lately,Fve
takentoturningoff
my
carlightson
dark countryroads: splitsecondsof delicious
fearthat
make
me
liveagain,ifonlyfora
moment.
Icrossstreets
more
slowly,too— sometimes
only gettinghalfway before
"Do
Not Walk"
bleedsacross thesign-just incase thereis
one
car traveling toofasttostop
intime.