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by William Blackburn saving face with grace, clipping coupons: manufactured cents-off sales, percentages played as gamblers dice whispered and cast aside hoping languid language tranquil resting after diatribe vibrato echoed sneaking on reverberations in slanting timbres across that daily distance from you to me, this chamber, home to homily or simply hominy— all harmonized minor… Continue reading Advertisements

The Pilgrimage of Gaokao

by Huina Zheng TW: mentions of abduction, human trafficking, abortion, rape, sexism? Even though I took Gaokao, the national college entrance examination in China, over a decade ago, I dream that I am taking the exams at least once a year. In the dream, everything is dark and blurry. In a classroom where other examinees… Continue reading The Pilgrimage of Gaokao

She sings in cursive on the Fillmore stage

by James Morehead beneath dimmed chandeliers gripping the mic and dripping sweat onto the barricade rushers below. Perhaps I hear sugar hiccups on cheerios or little red come back as I twist my ear plugs tighter to push pack the pulsing bass and distortion pedal screech. I try inventing lyrics: be true my love, be… Continue reading She sings in cursive on the Fillmore stage