THE BULL OF CONFLICT, by Lorna Smithers: I come from battle and conflict With a shield in my hand; Broken is the helmet By the pushing of spears. ‘Poem referring to Gwyddno and Gwyn ap Nudd’ – ‘Black Book of Carmarthen XXXIII.’ On an empty day automata drift Wending suit shapes through the mist. Touchless […]

THE SWORDSWOMAN, by Jessica Salmonson: Sensing a weight of death and gloom observed by shades half-human, upon a steed that snorts at doom there rode the brave swordswoman. Her plume was white, her armor gleamed, the peasants watched her coming, hope brightened in their hearts and dreams: She rides! The brave swordswoman! Her sword was […]

SHADAKAR, by Barry King: Shadakar!  Shadakar!  Can you hear me? Your head, so heavy, so loose upon your neck. Shadakar!  Wake up! Ah, but the liquor has taken you away, Oh, Shadakar, Shadakar the mighty, whose weight of gold, whose thrice-heavy sword, whose swarm of spies, whose stolen life of luxury warms my bed. Time […]

ADVENT OF AN APOCALYPSE, by Bethany Powell: They are combing each other’s hair when the end comes. A raven’s poised to land in their linen standard and they do not jump when the horn sounds the finish. Instead, they make mazes of fierce braid and plait, or smooth out thin sheaves of gold hair, before […]

BURYING THE PLOUGHSHARE, by Bethany Powell: Failure — wide open failure, scent of hot dust and sunrays on the green of weeds baking where they’re harvested all together, walling this plot. The dark king’s warfare has salted the ground. This is expected. Nothing is coming up but the most perverse of weeds, grasses hard enough […]