Ali Brown / Jack Delaney

POEMS

Birthday Candles

ALI BROWN

A child sits, unmoving. Beads of wax drip into frosting so Thick blue

Illustration by Sydney Zoehrer

congeals on white, Unearthly pearls from a planet Of broken clocks and sugar. Years turn in tune, Melting off monuments in days. So quick, blow them out, They’re burning down while A child sits, unmoving.

Illustration by Cindy Ren

Humlum

JACK DELANEY

I would like to return the candy that I stole.

The camp shop stares out into the wheat and changes mellow hands.

Runes salt the night.

Crabs rot in the harbor where their eggs hatch. The white church sows gravel through the corn.

Mounds poke like nipples beside claimless bikes.

Tucked inside the cliff is a bunker full of art which only weevils see.

One day soon we are going out to sea but the walk to water will take time and many feet.