from the pen
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Six by: Stacey Leigh Once there was this very cute boy who played Beatles songs on our first date. When we finally made it to the bedroom after a few glasses of wine and lousy conversation, I was lucky to be slightly drunk not to reveal my surprise at his chest. It was no ordinary man’s chest. It was furry and busy; like hair on a fuzzy baby’s head. And a ton of it. I actually had to dig deep to find his shoulders in order to steady myself on top if him. I can’t remember anything else about him except all of his hair and how shocking I found it that I couldn’t tell from the outside. I looked at him again very intently while smoking a cigarette in my red Chinese bathrobe. There is no indication of the jungle that grows just below his sweater. Amazing. My fascination with his hair became evident as the conversation simply ran out of air. He was one person I knew for sure there would be no love nor anymore sex; just the constant wonderment of that hair and how it got there and how long it’s been there and what to truly do with it. I silently prescribed him no more random hook- ups or one-night stands. A girl needs to really love him to accept all his acres. But the poor guy is doomed at times like these. Well, I hear they can treat that sort of thing somehow. Laser surgery? But who knows, maybe he should just hold out for love. |
| Dying to be alive: The sound of a cigarette by: Stacey Leigh It’s so still and quiet You could hear anything if you tried Children’s voices Birds chirping Bees buzzing Brooks babbling You could hear anything if you tried If you tried to hear my heart Beat- you’d have to try It’s so still and quiet You could hear time passing Days turning Months flipping It’s so still and quiet Like an open road Like the first page of the book Like the opening act Like a blank screen Or an empty journal Dying to be alive |
The Stranger by: Chin Pen Len Su Ling was scribbling something on the sand when a shadow fell over her. She looked up, up over a pair of long muscular legs, past a taut, lithe stomach, muscular chest and into the green eyes of a dark-haired stranger. She could see the smile on his rugged, tanned face and knew he was laughing at her. Heat suffused her face and she blurted out, ‘‘What’s so funny, Mr--?’’ ‘‘Enjoying the show?’’ he asked, teeth gleaming. Su Ling ignored the question and asked instead, ‘‘What do you want?’’ ‘‘I notice that you have been sitting here for half an hour without applying sun block. The heat here can be scorching. I wouldn’t want that lovely, fair skin of yours to get burned.’’ ‘‘I can take care of myself. Thanks for the concern,’’ she said and turned away, dismissing him. Instead of leaving, the stranger dropped down onto the sand beside her. He then squeezed a generous amount of lotion onto his hand and proceeded to apply it on Su Ling’s arms. Su Ling was outraged. ‘‘How dare you?’’ she gasped, twisting away from him. ‘‘Be still, you fool,’’ he growled, pulling her forward. ‘‘I don’t want you to end up in the hospital because of your stupidity.’’ ‘‘Why should you care?’’ she asked. She had come here to get away from men; instead here she was face to face with an arrogant one who thought he could do what he wanted. |
| BROKEN WINGZ by: Aadanis Dempster Sometimes I feel like an angel with broken wingz This pain took it's toll on me, you think that you know me...please Look deep inside of my eyes, I'm dyin inside I'm tryin to rise, but fall every time that I try Maybe I'm outta my mind, maybe this whole thing is wasted valuable time, maybe I wont make it But if I do fail, then at least I'll notice There is a real reason my wings are broken |
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| Untitled by: Marja I closed my apartment's door, and closed my eyes for a few seconds, looking deep inside me for the state of my mood and mind. Nothing. I don't feel anything. No excitement, no bitter feelings. And it's Monday. Weird! I headed to the bus station and started waiting. My bus arrived, but there was no free place in it, so I had to wait for another bus. To my very big surprise, I was not irritated or anything. I did not even try to catch a taxi. Completely not like me, this behavior. Another bus arrived after an undefined period of time, and I took it like I took my breakfast: without any complaint, no feeling, zip. What could be happening to me? Finally getting 'it'? That life is not worth all the trouble we endure for it, and that it's all futile anyways? I don't think I've grown 'mature' overnight, especially that I just had a big fight with my best friend the previous night. What on earth could be happening to me? The bus went strangely slow, that I had the time to look at length at the buildings on my way, and could discover a myriad of details about each one of then. I even noticed that there was a new shop at the end of the second district next to where I live. I also enjoyed staring at people in the bus, like a naughty kid, and sneaked looks about their clothes, shoes and handbags. I arrived to work a little bit late, just like usual, but what was not usual was my attitude. I did not rush to my manager apologizing and imaging his creative sanction; it was my manager who surprisingly came to my office. He smiled to me. I immediately knew something was going on. Maybe I was not the only one waking on a third foot this morning. "We are sorry to tell you that you're fired, Miss…", and he frowned trying to remember my name. I laughed when I realized that he didn't even know my name, after all these years of work and suffering. "It's okay", I said, "Have a nice day". I went home, had the best breakfast I've ever had in years. I called my best friend and apologized. Months later, I am now working for a new place. Not the company of my dreams, but I don't have any psychological pressure from some manager that controls my life anymore. And whatever was happening to me the morning I got fired from my previous job, I am grateful to it. And I've had the time since to grow wiser… |
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| Blind Date by: Sara Daronnie "Hey, guess what?" It was my roommate Megan. “What?” “I got you a date for Friday night.” “What? Megan are you kidding. No,” There was no way I was going on a blind date. Blind dates were for the over thirty, still single, never been married. Not me. “Jade. Why not? You said you wanted to go to the fair this weekend, and you know I have to work.” “Megan, I hate the fair. You were the one that wanted to go!" "Well, I knew it was one of us." So you went out and got me a date?” “Jade, he's adorable! Just your type. Have I ever let you down?” She actually batted her eyelashes. I sat for a moment thinking. Megan and I had moved into our hell’s kitchen apartment together after a year of dorming in college. I knew her really well, and I had to admit that her taste in men always impressed me. Her bedside table and dresser were covered in pictures of old high school boyfriends, and they were all gorgeous, athletic types. Not to mention the fact that her current boyfriend looked like he had just stepped out of an Abercrombie catalogue. “Okay, I’m sold. Where am I meeting him?” Friday evening rolled around and I found myself downtown in the middle of the street fair. I was dressed in a pair of dark blue jeans and a black, strappy tank top. I wore a splash of baby blue eye makeup to accent my eyes for this festive occasion. I was surrounded by carnies, midgets, sword swallowers, and circus folk alike. And it wasn’t just the touring entourage that made my stomach hurt a little, the groupies that had flocked to downtown to take part in the festivities were equally disturbing. I find it comical that no matter where you are, be it back woods Kentucky or in this case the chic Little Italy, the fairs always bring out the city’s finest. There were men with ratty ponytails, women missing teeth, teenage girls wearing baby tees stretched tightly around their mid drifts, exposing excess stomach, and no shortage of tourists babbling in their native tongues and dialects, snapping pictures and stopping short on the sidewalk, causing the much faster paced New Yorkers to pose in less than charming fashions for the cameras. The place was packed and I couldn’t find my date anywhere. Despite my objections, we hadn’t spoken on the phone, but rather set up a meeting place and exchanged wardrobe details through Megan. I found the spot by the dart throwing boards and glanced at my watch to make sure I wasn’t late. A moment later I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around and came face to face with a tall, skinny, pale guy with stringy (and unwashed) black hair. He had a nose ring, a lip ring, and an eyebrow ring. He wore a sleeveless shirt that revealed his tattoos, all six of them, and a pair of oversized pants, that sagged around his hips. “Can I help you?” I wasn’t sure what this guy wanted but I needed to get him out of here quick before my date arrived and saw me talking to him. “Are you Jade?” I froze. I couldn’t open my mouth. I just looked at him stunned as I tried to fight back the urge to run away. I wondered how Megan could do this to me. Was it a joke? It wasn’t funny. Where did she find this guy? “Excuse me,” I reached into my purse for my cell phone and just as I lifted it out, it slipped from my grasp and landed on the sidewalk, hard. “Shit,” I bent down to pick it up and realized to my horror that it had broken into several pieces. “Oh man, that sucks. Here, want some help?” My date bent down to help me pick up the pieces. “No, that’s okay. I got it,” I was scrambling all over the sidewalk, partly to pick up the various pieces that had spread themselves everywhere, but mostly to get away from him. “Damn it, this phone was really expensive.” Just as I stood up and began popping the buttons back into place, I felt myself fall forward. Someone had slammed right into me. “Jade?” I looked up and there he was. Donald. My ex-boyfriend of three years. The one that every girl experiences. The big one, the one that broke my heart... and he wasn’t alone. “Jade, are you okay? I didn’t see you there, I’m sorry,” He reached out for my arm, and pulled me to my feet. “I knew you were Jade,” My date exclaimed. “You look just like Megan said you would.” I leaned into him and whispered, “Shut up. Don’t say anything or I swear to God I will tear that piercing out with my teeth!” I turned my attention back to Donald as the sheer terror of the whole experience began to set in. Here I was in the middle of the fucking circus, with a freak on my arm, a broken cell phone in my hand, and standing face to face with the love of my life, watching as he entangled his fingers with those of his gorgeous new girlfriend. I was speechless. “Jade, how have you been?” “Fine.” “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your friend?” “He’s not my friend.” “Oh, I’m sorry. Your boyfriend then?” “No! I mean, he’s no one. I don’t even know him.” “Hey that’s not very nice,” He turned toward Donald, “I’m Butch, Jade’s blind date.” “Oh, no, it’s not... He’s just kidding. I came here with Megan. This is her new guy. She wanted me to meet him...” I reached my arm around Butch’s back and gave it one hard pinch. He winced, and I glared at him menacingly before I let go. “Oh, where’s Megan? I’d love to say hi.” “She’s getting a coke.” I lied. “Honey?” Donald’s girlfriend gave his arm a tug. “Oh, I’m sorry baby. Jade this is my girlfriend, Tiffany.” “Oh. Hi. Look it was nice... to... I have to go. Megan I think is probably wondering where I went off to. So, okay, see you. Bye.” And with that, I took off. I ran as fast as I could, knocking people down left and right. I had tunnel vision. All I could see was Megan’s face on the other side of my fist, and I wasn’t stopping until I got home. |
| chance by: Taylor Kienholz chances are i win this battle im here for the one reason i never expected but in true unforgeable happiness i plunder into a dreamweaved chain of events suspect i find a beaten path to the factory we where once conceived i ponder the thought of us colliding again one day only to find we are different in many more ways than one yet infatuated with one concept alone peace of mind and undeniable truth. |
| in my chateau by: Taylor Kienholz i see you as a flower as you see me as a falling tower in my skin in my skull all here to be long lasting longing to be lone alone misread wine and blubber all to seem as if im here looking at the truth don't look at the truth happy hope exempt from giving not worthy and observitive lost again strait as an arrow. |
| his choice by: Taylor Kienholz she looked at the man as if she had seen his face before yet never had. his look was a wide open plain lost in itself and tormented with arrow heads of confession he had seen her in a dream his synapses trickled with the sweet sweet sweat along his brow. lengthy conversations bored him as the air was silent. "if she only could speak my language" he asked himself. long before the winds of time the wrath of mother earth had said to man love is universal although he knew different he meant to long for the look she gave his face long and soft. without words without sound with no judgment and then he turned slowly and said "you belong here" finished his circle and drifted toward the sea. |
| Erick Murph Once again, feeling like god's pawn Maybe more like months goin by and no one cutting the lawn/ so i grow with more questions than answers Empty like a dance with no dancers Again now i've tasted emotional demise Once my prayers were realized by someone right in front of my eyes I've been happy while in the present times of both, yet none remain Reqiuem for my mind, now im insane Let no one bullshit you emotional pain hurts like physical All numb, now all i have is spiritual One gone for obvious reasons, others not so simple No more thinking for a reason, or i'll go mental Now replaced by new entries And the others likes someone who is close to me How do "they" get these opportunities knowing it's not right Others get these paths to great light, while im in the night I'm not talking about something in particular I'm including everything and nothing so im speaking straight and circular Some people may know what im talking about While others might put my sanity in doubt But if this is my fate/ i'll wait/ they say something great Comes to those who wait/ it happened once but it left me soon after Then again So why bother Father? Why am i put through these unknowing tasks, unconscious games like a job Does anyone else wonder this, isnt it odd God? You must exist Thats why i persist/ To resist Falling in the abyss Only thing thats missing for me is a miss My queen's a mist My dream at my wrist Not quite in my hand I just need someone to undertsand Even if they dont want to hear it like a live country band So like the picture i sit in the dark, waiting Hoping for an answer to start precipitating Hopefully my love for performing Will carry me away and be the umbrella of all this storming |