new writing 2025

Poetry of NOW

Poetry

WE’VE HEARD of shock therapy, and “Shock of the New.” What about shock poetry? Or at least, Poetry NOW?

Meaning, ways of approaching current events in a more unstructured fashion; in so doing, expressing the truth of a matter better than long think pieces. Our new featured poetry, “On the Killing of Brian Thompson and the Coronation of Luigi Mangione” by Bud Sturguess, is an example of the examination of news through art– distilled through art– containing resonances of past and present accused/villains turned into celebrities, as well as our society’s all-encompassing media landscape. Echoes of influences we carry inescapably with us at all times.

Read the poem and see what you think!

I saw Mr. Oswald (or someone who stole his face)
Mr. Guiteau, a slew of Proud Boys,
defenders of such and such a race,
and the fellow who shot Spencer Percival
(I was embarrassed to forget his name)
There was even a scruffy fellow I knew as Joe
(of “Hey Joe” fame)
and true to lore, in his hand he held a gun

The Three-Dimensional World

Pop Lit Fiction

MULTIPLE VIEWPOINT FICTION

TODAY we offer a multiple viewpoint story, “The Museum of Jeremy’s Summer” by Andrea Donderi. Why do we like multiple viewpoints? Because it’s a way to present a more rounded, three-dimensional view of reality. We’re all raised in two-dimensional corridors where everything is a linear progression. Grades, schools, hierarchies. Stepping ever onward, farther, faster, on treadmills like hamsters. Like our mad technocratic society. “Progress.” Culminating in humanoid robots and AI devices doing our thinking for us. The writer’s task is to pause for a moment to address where we’re at, describing the people and world around us. Which Andrea well does.

ABOUT our new story: It’s subtle, the kind of artistic work which sneaks up on you, gradually immersing you into the narrative, its setting and characters, then suddenly. . . Impact! We know you’ll like it.

There’s something about how Christabel drives, slow, crouching over the wheel, her foot probably hovering on top of the brake —such a contrast with her crisp city linen clothes and sleek dark hair and that English voice of hers. And the way she and Jeremy keep glancing over at each other, just to check that everything’s okay. What kind of guy stays away all summer from a woman like Christabel and a kid like Jeremy? An English guy, evidently. Name of Adrian.

ON OTHER FRONTS

WE’RE SERIOUS about getting our Open Mic feature going again. See our latest post at it– “Life Cycle” by Kyle Van Horn— one more of the many new literary talents out there.