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quarterly journal of poetic and visual art

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Spring 2008

Poetry

VanBuren's picks:

Antonia Clark
Brad Johnson
Dale McLain
Roger Pfingston
Richard Rippon

John Anderson
Cristina Baptista
Cynthia Brackett-Vincent
Michael Brownstein
Nuala Ní Chonchúir
Alison Eastley
Brent Fisk
David Fraser
Krikor der Hohannesian
Amy MacLennan
Lisa Markowitz
Damon McLaughlin
Micki Myers
Roger Pfingston
Heather Schimel
Rachel Stewart
Lafayette Wattles

Flash Fiction

Matt Alberhasky
Margaret Fieland
Robert Johnson
Willie Smith



On Debunking Modern Art

Alex Nodopaka


Pushcart Nominees

Editors

Jennifer VanBuren
Jai Britton
Patrick Carrington


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Scott Malby

On the death of the philosophy of hope

When lost at sea
and bailing like hell
from a leaky tub

to be amazed
narrates its own 
amazement meriting 
belief through
a willingness 
to believe
in what can't be seen
but hoped,

like the expectation
of immanent rescue
as if the Coast Guard
were created
for the sole purpose
of saving
you from yourself.

The Black Forest
isn't black anymore
than the Red Sea
is red
but in some places
the Red Sea
is black
and sometimes,
when walking through
the Black Forest,
people have been known
to see red

and I bet,
if you turn left
at Blarney Street
and walk up
Wit's End Road,
you'll see the world
as a shiny reflection
off of someone else's
brand new Porsche.

Each reflection
a vindication
bringing you closer
to that unlikely
realization
that represents
the act of hoping
against all hope.

2005 Scott Malby