“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…

Editor’s Pick, “One Petal at a Time,” Live on HotelMasticadores

It is an honor to be featured today on Hotel Masticadores by Michelle Ayon Navajas as the “Editor’s Pick!”  She did this for the anniversary of my book, One Petal at a Time.  She is especially gracious, as she is releasing an anthology titled After Rain Skies – A Global Anthology to encourage a connection with…

Beautiful Review Of “One Petal At A Time” By D. Wallace Peach

The wonderful D. Wallace Peach posted a beautiful review on GoodReads that is soon to be on Amazon. Here is the beginning: Readers who gravitate toward lush, emotional poetry won’t want to miss this generous offering of over 80 freeform poems. Though I don’t often read Author’s Notes and Forewords, these heartfelt and eloquent introductions…

”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…

Poetry Book And Art Review: One Petal at a Time

Thank you, Dawn, not just for writing this amazing review, but for taking the time to read my book, which was published shortly after your book was released. Thank you also to this wonderful community and all of the other support and love I have received during this time. What a wonderful community of writers…

“He is” – now live on hotel masticadores

the savory smell amongst loblolly pines and chestnut oaks whispers lying beneath scarlet sunset which calls nocturnal animals to rise the slope of a mountain, the roar of a waterfall that tumbles with immense force to mold and smooth the pebbles within smells waft from the head of a newborn, milk swells in the breast…

My New Poem “US” now live on Masticadoresindia

whisper softly in my tender ear as shadows of memories linger near fire crackles, tender our love forever soft heat rising, warms up swiftly our bedroom loft laughter sparks seedlings of love with ageless years sometimes sorrow invades mixing dialog with liberating tears To continue reading, please visit MasticadoresIndia ( now called ChewersMasticadores ) and…

My New Short Story, “Death of a Stranger,” Live On MasticadoresIndia

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 nurses were raped in…