Prayers Answered Snow clung to a small mulberry tree in the distance. It was a sad reminder of the old cotton fields nestled close to where Josie used to call home. Snow was something different, like something pure. Still, Josie was lost in a state of misery. She peered through the narrow window that overlooked…
Category: Death
“Family Forgiveness” A New Poem By Joni Caggiano
Artwork Donated By ©️Francisco Bravo Cabrera For “One Petal At A Time”, Now Part of Our Art Collection Family Forgiveness Fall burns my flesh like rusty shades of her leaves. I cocoon in sorrow’s labored breath as I dine on erstwhile memories. My presence fades as echoes of yesterday’s nagging whispers seep through outworn cement…
Will It Snow Again This August by Joni Karen Caggiano
buried deep in curtain’s fogof raven black sludgewooden clogs sink deepsocket-eyed, gaunt humanscrucial heat escaping, I awakeI give her a hopeful nudge ebony, shaved headone of eight in our bedI shiver, stone-coldand yet begin to stripclothes off, stark whiteflesh of the nocturnal dead stems bereft of petalsbones, a reminder of belly painsamid the stench of…
“The Crown” by Joni Caggiano ©️2025
The Crown Bougainvillea florets tremble likescarlet ribbons tied in bows on young flesh Archways of stone outstretchreposeful winds on muted statues with listless stares Foreboding leopard keeps vigila silent killer, her sentry will shield if a threat declares Pillars of light bring rays of respite yettears seal her withering heart within flouted ceiling Ferns rest…
“A Knock” by Joni Caggiano ©️2025 Now Live on HotelMasticadores
A Knock crisp welcoming voice of the wrenhow her incantations I long to hearbut she placed her voice in a boxher color, joy, and song buried near wailing calls soft, tiny bulbs hoist sailoak tree slain by a dismal, frail windroots glisten in the sun, a forest-sickmy body dismantled, like my friend To continue reading,…
”Red Ball” Now On Hotel Masticadores
Red Ball Hannah wept silently into her dusty apron. She spun her thin face around, much like a donut, awaiting its freckling of powdered sugar. Tears cast their agonies upon hand-stitched hydrangeas, petunias, and magnolias while honeybees clung close with their bulging pollen-laden legs. Ruth had spent six months embroidering this apron for her and…
“Death Of A Stranger” Live On India Masticadores
Death Of A Stranger Hearing the rush of nurses heading toward the ICU, I followed the herd. My youthful intuition was kicking in as an eerie sense of suffocation and dread encircled me. I suddenly felt like a child waking from a nightmare. I was already on edge since yesterday having been informed that three…
Stale Flowers – Melissa Lemay’s Flash Fiction Challenge #280 #FFFC Response
In response to Melissa Lemay’s Fandango Flash Fiction Challenge #280 Stale Flowers each year I still do the same arrange loose, timid, and feathery stemsas if forlorn sentiments might live thereinearly this day, we both compulsively pressour dignified threads, to look our best each year I still do the same listen to dad call it…
Unwelcome Strangers – Melissa Lemay’s Flash Fiction Challenge #FFFC Response
This is my first attempt at Melissa Lemay’s Flash Fiction Challenge, where, in short, you come up with a poem or flash fiction based on a picture Melissa provides (see embedded link below for instructions and picture for this week). It was fun! Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, “Unwelcome Strangers”. Unwelcome Strangers My…
“Tardy Morning Sun” Now Live On Spillwords Press NYC
damp, frosty grass was a sad soul to bare feet her heart dangling from a pale elbow in a drowsy fog besieging her as tears hymn, turning to ice on cold flesh five months passed since her husband was planted to earthly rest laying by the lake,…
