Below are some examples of poetry that have appeared in the Edison Literary Review

RUNNING

Running skipped a generation in my family.
My kid runs, I don’t. Never have.
Always saved it for when
Somebody’s chasing me

But the kid runs
Just to run
Like a race horse
On a grassy glen

Wild horses don’t need
Those metal shoes
We nail into their feet
They run just to run
And stand on two legs
To show their strength
The light glistening
On smooth sweaty skin
Casting a long shadow
That horse is high
On life itself

Anthony Buccino, Issue 9

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FUNERAL PLANNER

It’s up to the living to bury the dead,
The last listed Corporal Work of Mercy.
Reluctant to leave that important matter
Entirely to others, I’ve decided to handle
Some details while alive.

And so I’ve made my will,
Purchased a cemetery plot,
Written out instructions for my funeral,
And selected a dress, undertaker, and hymns.

It’s not so macabre, I reasoned
As I was making the transactions,
Much like arranging a vacation,
Deciding on clothes and travel accommodations
For a popular destination,
Free of charge, time of departure left blank.

I think of this as a post graduation grand tour
And hope for a bon voyage party.
Of course, it would be presumptuous for me
To invite guests and arrange for a caterer,
Like planning one’s own bridal shower.

Lest family and friends conclude
These preparations imply serious illness,
They should remember I’m the one
Who always brings an umbrella,
Confident it won’t rain if I’m prepared.

Dorothy McLaughlin, Issue 9

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PLUCKING GRAYS

The dim light of the bathroom
illuminates silver
as you pull back
your thin hair.

I inspect auburn
streaked with gray.
You are more fragile
than I remember.

A strand of passing time
glints in my tweezers.
You look on in disgust
when I discard it.

I remind you that grays
are a sign of wisdom,
splendor in age.

Your limp hand clenches
into a loose fist.
"I don’t want splendor."

Michelle Ovalle, Issue 9