Adelaide Literary Magazine

Possible Power Metaphors Looking through her own reflectionat a yellow patterned python,a teenage girl asks why the snakehas not eaten a mouse companionwho, sitting on the snake’s head,grooms her tiny arms. Looking back, maybe seeing doublepossibly...

Devilsafter Ambrose Bierce (The Devil’s Dictionary) Devils want to thrustthe business end of a pininto humanity’s metaphorical eye.They often regret their danceas angels on its tiny silver headand the question of how many.But I know...

Farther up the road you gonna reap what you sowMetaphor, metaphor, metaphor—impossible to kill.Take it as given round this big river that nearlyevery neighbor has sliced off a rattler head,watched the headless rope’s shivering...

AshoreIn the morning the scarring world holds me down so I cannot rise.I stretch my arms above my head like elastic bands with no end.My toes reach far below until my calves ache and...

I grew up knowing I wanted to be an artist. When I was four, maybe five years old, I recall sitting on the living floor at my parents' feet and coloring in a Gumby and...

SANCTUARY Contrary to popular belief, not all babies are born beautiful. Trust me, I should know. As evidenced by my baby pictures, I wasn’t a looker by any stretch of the imagination. But rather than...

THE HUSBANDS “Oh please. You cannot still be crying over him.”  “Well….he was….my husband...” The past tense uttered for the first time sent Laurel into a second round of head-in-hands sobs.  “I have three ‘was’ husbands honey,...

THE HUSBANDS “Oh please. You cannot still be crying over him.”  “Well….he was….my husband...” The past tense uttered for the first time sent Laurel into a second round of head-in-hands sobs.  “I have three ‘was’ husbands honey,...

SEE YOU NEXT TIME John stayed over Tuesday and Wednesday. I gave him a couple of stickers for his car so he could park on the street. I called in sick from work when he...

I’ll sit out on the porch, maybe smoke a cigarette, or drink a Coke. When someone comes along, I’ll smile like I’m just passing time carefree. But passersby know better. They don’t make eye...