Rejection Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2007 15:44

Dear Contributor, Our guest poetry editor has made selections for this issue however I'm sorry to inform you that your work has not been chosen this time around. We received a record number of submissions this issue and with our anonymous reading policy now firmly in place we can assure you that your work was competitively and fairly assessed. Submissions are now open for our next issue. We would encourage you to submit work to this issue, especially work that responds to the theme. Warm wishes from The Editor.

Road Sense

Bus shelter, late morning
Yellow haired stranger in the shade
Newspaper courteously moved aside
Waiting, listening, dreaming
This same stranger from the shelter 
Proceeds to sit down in my seat
I am compelled to join him again
After all it is my throne 
Up the back opposite the door
Reigning over the people down in front
The windows are open
An old fashioned air-conditioned ride
Wind whips at my hair
The air is thick with salt
As waves roll past the windows
I sense I’ve made him uncomfortable
Selecting to be seated beside him twice
Watching, listening, thinking
He fidgets while I am still 
Press the bell to stop
I exit with his eagerness close behind
Two steps, we’re moving forwards
In opposite directions
Without a backwards glance

Limerence

It forces its way through
The tracks of my veins
Like a freight train
Harder to get off than heroin
It smacks like a hit
The pain of it lingers
A needle that won’t withdraw
Luring me deeper for the love of it
Oh god, the endless insensible love of it
The loss of innocence
Becomes the gaining of limerence

Inspired by: "Love and Limerence: The Experience of Being in Love" – Dorothy Tennov

Balcony scene

Blustery Midsummer Eve
Shirts & shadows
Dancing in the half dark

      Median strip

               Median strip.
          Somewhere between
     Small bright yellow flowers
              And rushing cars,
         I fancy is my life’s line.