Short Fiction, Poetry and Classic Book Reviews
Violent shrieks from cursing mouths, A noise to numb the soul to sleep, The chanting of the idol crowds: “You are the wicked! Vengeance is ours!” The well of pride flows full and deep. Anger boiling unconstrained, The fire stoked by itching hands, Inferno’s heat must never wane, The mind is safe when laying... Continue Reading →
“Mr Algiers?” “Yes, that’s me.” “Mr Conway will see you now. This way.” Mervin followed the young secretary down the hall toward the conference room. Large framed pictures of former CEOs hung at perfectly spaced intervals along the left side of the hall. Mervin glanced at one and saw his reflection in the glass. The... Continue Reading →
James Joyce’s loosely autobiographical novel spans several years in the life of young Stephen Dedalus. Observing him mainly in a school and university setting, the book focuses on significant events and stages in his development. These points are merely markers in the story, while the substance is Stephen’s inner struggle: his emotions, questions, doubts, fears,... Continue Reading →
The gripping saga of a chicken.
In the state art gallery I saw a painting that consisted of three huge orange swirls across a giant white canvas. It would have taken all of thirty seconds to paint. I imagine art critics raved about the piece’s “importance”, and discussed the great meaning it conveyed. Meanwhile, the humble art gallery patron was left... Continue Reading →
Clem stood on the balcony and surveyed the cornfields: tall, ripe, peaceful green, as far as he could see. Twenty-two years he had worked his farm, and this looked like the crop that would finally make him some money. All he had to do was keep his pyromania in check. Wendy came out and stood... Continue Reading →
For decades children and adults alike have adored E. B. White’s tale of a cute little pig named Wilbur. It begins with a girl, Fern Arable, convincing her father to spare Wilbur, the runt of a litter. The reader is left to speculate as to Mr Arable’s intended method of killing the pig; was it... Continue Reading →
If you’ve ever felt that the world is going down the drain and everyone is a big jerk, then Catch-22 will let you know you’re not alone. Set in World War II, on the Mediterranean island of Pianosa, this is a story of a disillusioned bombardier, Yossarian, trying to survive and make it home. Avoiding... Continue Reading →
This is a weird one. Alice falls down a rabbit hole and enters Wonderland, a fantastic, quirky place where animals speak and the food can cause a person to grow or shrink. Like my uncle Allan when he’s drunk, it’s a whole lot of fun, yet never without a sense it could suddenly turn nightmarish.... Continue Reading →