Public Republic

Joy Ladin A variation on “Ein Leben,” by Dan Pagis Photo: amyrod1 I’m standing at the window, a young woman, I can’t remember what age or so my slumping shoulders say

Joy Ladin Photo: aussiegall Pirouhettes Between future and past, A spiraling ribbon of red, a girl In ballet class, A dance, a beautiful dance You cannot hope to master.

Eunice Blavascunas Ph.D. Photo: anyjazz65 This limb The one with digits never used for counting Sees out its elbow Hears with small hairs That come into contact with your sleeve My skin is peopled

Vanya Nikolaeva Photo: trialsanderrors Today is almost gone. Tomorrow knocks on the solid door And last minutes of the present Meet the impatient future.

Theo Edmonds Photo: sonietta46 I smiled ages ago. When the wind whipped up through my toes When my fingers bent forward to transform a firefly into a momentary hand lantern And tonight – when I looked at him I smiled like that again.

Katherine Van Hook Gulley Photo: young_einstein Today I burned your letters, I lit the fireplace with a box of matches I picked up at an old country store, The letters smelled of musk perfume and all encompassing fragrances of time.