LEMON

for Philip Levine

by Stephen Barile

His name is sewn in script
On the oval patch over his left breast,

Lemon. The shirt-pocket bulges
With something kept hidden.

Machine oil stains his coveralls.
Under a cap, with a metal-buckle,

He smiles with very tapered lips
That grip his bulging cheeks.

Reflecting the sun from a skylight,
Squinting into the dark shop, his smile

Speaks to something else instead,
The woman who will be waiting for him.

The truth is silent. Lemon stands
Dreamlike, before the cluttered bench.

Nothing indicates work to be done,
Five bearing-housings are stacked to ship.

A small calendar, a gift from a vendor,
Hangs on the wall behind him.

Pages for the months of the new year
Have not yet been torn-off.

Tea Ceremony

by Kelsey Tran

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Stephen Barile, a Fresno, California native, educated in the public schools, attended Fresno City College, Fresno Pacific University, and California State University, Fresno. He was a long-time member of the Fresno Poet’s Association. Mr. Barile taught writing at Madera College, and CSU Fresno. He lives in Fresno, CA.

Uzomah Ugwu is a poet/writer, curator and multi-disciplined artist. Her poetry, writing, and art have been featured internationally in various publications, galleries, and art spaces. She is a political, social, and cultural activist. Her core focus is on human rights, mental health, animal rights, and the rights of LGBTQIA persons. She is also the managing editor and founder of Arte Realizzata.