Volume 66

Aluminum Rib words by Malaika Mitraillustration by Patrick Ignasiak   I, a servantof titanium skyhave ground soil to rootin rabid search;beneath the iron horizon, amongstclay-filled waves —I build her bodyout of the dustleft from the crushing of a geological age.Her gold veinstiptoe under skinas xylem inobedient trunk — fat toes clutchingloam beforeshe too meltsinto myfluid-filled dreams; Ocean, river,

Telecommunication words by Patrick Ignasiakillustration by Cameron Ashley Spasms, into you, the not-allzero fitted to onenothing you can see, you-branchof spidered out hypertextmothering yourself: silicon chips, set out to eatyour way outsidemicrovoid, its syntaxdithering off, passes through,scatters; you redressmy mistress’ eyes inliquidcrystal thinness.                    Remains slouch,half-chewed hemoglobin,fiber-optic, you swallow 

bluebirds weeping words by Anemone Van Leeuwenillustration by Maria Vidal Valdespino   The city dreams of what bluebirds are,Of shadows gone missing from a stained, spotlit sky.It dreams of a ghost slipping between skyscrapers, trembling beneath the traffic lights—A ghost building nests in the dark.Visions of a something well in the eyes of the subway-goers, the upstanding,

Mirror words by Zoe Smith Creppillustration by Anella Schabler When a preacher searches for God’s wisdom,He looks in the mirror and sees prayers formingOn the lips of his reflection.Calling to me was your mouth,Releasing a never-ending stream of thought,One consciousness to another as we spoke through the glass.I’ll never forget the promise of a kiss, barely