The Least of These

By Jenny Ward AngyalGibsonville, NC, USA Hokusai painted them, Issa wrote about them, and Mao did his best to exterminate…

Back to School

By Carissa CoaneCalifornia, United States of America back-to-school shopping — does this backpack come in bulletproof?

Murky Lake

By Theresa CancroWilmington, Delaware, USA murky lake . . .long tears cloudthe buffalo's eye

Pachamama

By Jenny Ward AngyalGibsonville, North Carolina, USA Long ago, in a sacred valley where Inca kings and mountain glaciers reigned,…

The Intruder

By Jenny Ward AngyalGibsonville, North Carolina, USAA glimpse of white wing bars, half hidden among juniper and honeysuckle. Uncertain, I…

All of Us

By Jenny Ward AngyalGibsonville, North Carolina, USA all of usfrom blowfly to blue whalebirthright citizensof a dying planet . .…

Gas lit

By Melissa DennisonBradford, Yorkshire, England From boreal forests in the Arctic Circle to Hawaii and Malibu, every year more and…

Fewer Butterflies

By Florence HeyhoeCounty Down, Northern Ireland fewer butterflies—places at the tableemptied by war 

Lipstick

By Florence HeyhoeCounty Down, Northern Ireland lipstick —the cosmetic trade flaying donkeys Further reading: End the Donkey Skin Trade

The Urge

By Rebecca DrouilhetPicayune, Mississippi, USA the urgeto flow beyond my banks . . .a drop of waterlonging to gowhere oceans…

Hemorrhage

By Carissa CoaneCalifornia, United States of America Daughter, is it fair to keep you,knowing what you will inherit?Will you understand the…

Treaty 1

By Debbie StrangeCanada Shortlisted Vispo, 2023 Sonic Boom Annual Vispo Contest Artist’s Statement:A word-weaving of culled Wikipedia details regarding Treaty…

Vrindāvan

By Monica KakkarIndia and United States of America wind without colorhues widows of Vrindāvan—forsaken in droves Further reading: https://www.policycircle.org/ground-report/widows-in-india-unseen-problems/ Prompt:…

Early Dusk

By John PappasBoston, Massachusetts, USA early dusk reaching into the warren winter’s chill