The New Verse News

ON THE DEATH OF WHITNEY HOUSTON

Published on 2012-02-12 21:31:00

by David Feela The news of her death arrives in a paper cup, bitter and dark, barely enough to cover the bottom, its sediment like a fine powder,and though you know it’s fresh,you’ve tasted this cup before.All day her songs will playon the radio, on the television,in the short term memoryof the heart, and by the timeyou tip your head back to weep,the news will already be cold.David Feela writes a monthly column for The Four Corners Free Press and for The Durango Telegraph. A poetry chapbo

RECIPE FOR MIDDLE EAST DISASTER

Published on 2012-02-11 01:30:00

by Earl J. WilcoxTake two hot-headed nations.Combine with large dosesOf Israeli freight in your faceMixed with Iranian insultIn your eyes. Simmer brieflyIn hot Judean and Dasht-e-KavitDeserts. For worst results: heatThoroughly in Russian and AmericanPolitics.  Serve during an Arab Spring.Earl J. Wilcox writes about aging, baseball, literary icons, politics, and southern culture. His work appears in more than two dozen journals; he is a regular contributor to The New Verse News.

AT THE BREAK

Published on 2012-02-10 01:28:00

by Vincent F. A. GolphinIt’s America, half time,split between two determined tribesvie for the hearts and minds of the crowd,  in a widely watched  gamehalf-time America phrase born in a bid for profitpraise for a dream gone wildseized by prophesybest described in dreary termsa fight, struggle, challengebetween the US we’ve seenand the US that’s yet to behalf-time Americacrowds shudder in the pulltowards the desires that haunt dreams - prosperity and peace -and a past where the f

THE LAST GREAT DEPRESSION (OCCUPY THIS)

Published on 2012-02-09 01:25:00

by Lynnie GobeilleThey say his last conversation took place two hours before.Seated in a comfy leather chair he leaned forward and told his shrink “life was going well.”His kids were both in college, not Ivy League…but good enough to impress.His wife liked her new Audi, but was a tad upset;was not the Beamer she had coveted.He was, however, pleased with his medical practice…the number of patients growing.In fact,or so his psychiatrist has begun to tell everyone,You know they do

NEWT WANTS US ON THE MOON

Published on 2012-02-07 02:00:00

by Amy Eisnerand the moon wants us too. It tugs at us, liquid and solid, morning     and night,its pulse slow as evening, interminable even if you never got as closeas Ronald Evans on the last Apollo, parked in orbit for four hours and     six days—leaning out to take pictures, keeping the Command Module in commandwhile others scratched at the surface. After that he pursued a careerin coal. In one of his photos, white marks scatter the midnight &nbs

WHILE YOU WATCHED THE SUPER BOWL

Published on 2012-02-05 22:09:00

by NgomaAt 4:00pm the line to Trader Joe's was down the street and around the cornerthe tax office in Cairo was set on fire to protest football violenceMitt Romney proclaimed he didn't give a damn about the poorthe lines in soup kitchens were not one bit shorterIsrael stood on the brink of attacking IranUnion contracts were under attackthe 1% still bought box seatswhile the 99% Occupied everything elseTim Tebow was not playingthe commercials cost $3.5 million dollars per 30 secondsMumia Abu Jama

BEULAH LAND BLUES

Published on 2012-02-03 01:21:00

by Earl J WilcoxGunshot kills woman sitting at home( Headline in The Herald, Rock Hill, SC, Feb. 2, 2012)She was up before Monday’s sunrise, putting the sheetsin the washer, sweeping the little back porch, swattingmid-winter flies away from the kitchen sink whereshe’d left a small plate with tuna crumbs from last night’s meal.Before her grand baby, Chloe, should arrive, she’d haveeverything tidied and cleaned and stored, leaving plentyof time for her to watch Curious George with Chloewho

SIX MORE WEEKS

Published on 2012-02-02 02:00:00

by Roxanne Hoffmanon Groundhog DayAwake anxious burrowed belowcurious critter doubtful dutiful emergeseyes furtively facing greyness groundsideharbinger hunched instinctively intuitsjowly judges kingdom keenlyLegendary Litmus:maybe? maybe?  no... not...oh! oh!Prognosticator’s  Proclamation:quivering quixoticregards  retreatssunshine’s shadow seentanking temperatures unrelenting Underground:vernal vibrancy waits wintering yogi yawns Zzzz-zonedRoxanne Hoffman worked on Wall S

SMALL GOVERNMENT

Published on 2012-02-01 02:00:00

by E. F. SchraederA shadow operation managesto paint itself minuscule.It solves problems by shrinking beneath doorways,into bedrooms to stop lovers from wedding;into doctor officesto peek beneath the paper sheets,and block reproductive services.Small enough to fit into wires,listen to protestors plan permitted events in gated public spaces. Small enough to build wallsbetween countriesand boost border brutality.Small enough to fit into dictionaries,rename activists as terrorists,liberals as radic

TURN THE WORLD -- #Occupy

Published on 2012-01-31 02:00:00

by Buff Whitman-BradleyIt is notUpside downWe wishTo turnThe worldBut right-sideUpBuff Whitman-Bradley's poetry has appeared in many print and online journals.  With his wife Cynthia he is co-producer/director of the award-winning documentary film, Outside In,  and co-editor of the forthcoming book About Face: GI Resisters Turn Against War (PM Press, 2011).  He is also co-producer/director of the documentary Por Que Venimos._________________________________________