Preview Issue 01.01.06

Backyard | by Andrea Avery

Hidden Pulleys on Balcony Four | by Aaron Belz

The Bars of Our Fathers | by Thom Fletcher

Deep in the heart of Chesterfield: A city rat considers the suburbs | by Chris King

Schoolhouse
Coffeehouse | by Michaela McGinn

This Way Chuck Berry | by Thomas R. Raber

Sonnet: PSA | by Tony Robinson

Stardust in a Phrygian Key | by Stefene Russell

Sophomores | by Julia Smillie

The Ghosts of Winifred Moore | by Mike Steinberg

Four Days Behind the Iron Curtain, or, I'm With the Band | by Mary Kaye Tonnies

Late Night Radio | by Brett Underwood

 

 

Sonnet: PSA | by Tony Robinson

Oh boy I’m falling & it’s not a public service
announcement of a pitch-shifting conundrum,
or a bastard chanting “war” in cheery tones—

We’ve given over our cherry sodas to St. Louis,
city of snow & the highest monument, The Hill,
& Thom Fletcher, who longs to appear in a poem.

I like my coffee sweet & scented with the extract
of a certain nut. The planes swoop so close you can
almost read the call signs: “Woody,” “Brick,” “Killer.”

My Ave Maria has flown the coop, along with “best
friends forever,” along with erotic emails, along
with Christ, Jesus, & “illuminating presences.”

I give you this present for your choice of holiday.
Now get out of my line; I can’t see the highway for the trucks.

BIO

This is a song about a superhero named Tony. It's called "Tony's Theme:" Tony Robinson is a Pixies fan. He lives in Eugene, Oregon, where he writes poetry, teaches and helps edit the very fine literary journal, The Canary. Though he has visited St. Louis only twice, he has written three St. Louis poems, of which this is one. But this is the only St. Louis sonnet.