Dragon Poet Review Winter / Spring 2018 1 Copyright © 2018 by Jessica Isaacs and Rayshell Clapper All Rights Reserved. All parts of this journal are the sole property of the respective writers and artists and may not be reproduced in any fashion without written permission from both the author / artist and publishers of this journal. Several of the works have been published in other books, journals and anthologies and appear in this issue by permission of the author / artist. Please write to Jessica Isaacs at [email protected] or 3930 NBU, Prague, OK 74864 with questions. Cover Art: “Mushroom Path,” Photography, Copyright © 2018 by Roxann Perkins Yates 1 Table of Contents BENEATH THE FATTENING MOON, Sylvia Vaughn ................................................................... 7 WINTERTIME, REDUX, Sylvia Vaughn ............................................................................................... 8 WHAT COLOR MOTHER? Sylvia Vaughn ........................................................................................... 9 GAS HOUSE GHOSTS, Robert Milby ................................................................................................... 10 COFFEE IN CARPATHIA, Robert Milby ............................................................................................. 11 ORCHARD SMOKE, Robert Milby ........................................................................................................ 12 MARCH’S SPIRIT, Yvonne Carpenter ...................................................................................................... 13 THE TALE OF THE GALE, Sravani Hotha........................................................................................ 14 THE MAGNIFICENT IMPOSSIBLE, Carl Boon .............................................................................. 15 FDR IN GEORGIA, Carl Boon .............................................................................................................. 16 THE NURSE, Kedrick Nettleton ............................................................................................................... 17 HEIDI, Kedrick Nettleton ........................................................................................................................... 18 MALE GAZE, MW Rishell, Photography ............................................................................................. 20 BUS TICKETS BACK TO BAYONNE, MW Rishell ........................................................................ 21 SIDE OF BEEF, MW Rishell .................................................................................................................. 22 CHARLES, MW Rishell ............................................................................................................................ 23 THE LAST REUNION, Robert Ferrier .................................................................................................. 24 A CERTAIN AGE, Robert Ferrier .......................................................................................................... 25 FROZEN LEAF, Robert Ferrier, Poem and Photography ................................................................... 26 WHERE YOU FIND IT, Robert Ferrier, Photography ........................................................................ 27 AGED, Robert Ferrier, Photography ........................................................................................................ 28 DECKS DARK, John Murphy .................................................................................................................. 29 ROUGH HORSES, Ron Wallace ............................................................................................................. 31 FLASH, Ron Wallace .................................................................................................................................. 32 SNAPSHOT, Ron Wallace ........................................................................................................................ 33 WHAT I FEAR MOST, Patricia Hemminger .......................................................................................... 34 MORNING WALK, Patricia Hemminger ................................................................................................ 35 DEBUT, Patricia Hemminger ..................................................................................................................... 36 UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL, Anca Vlasopolos ................................................................................ 37 SUPPLY AND DEMAND, Matt Mahoney ............................................................................................ 41 STRANGE WAY OF COPING, Matt Mahoney .................................................................................. 42 AUTUMN POEM, Clarence Wolfshohl .................................................................................................... 43 THE WISTERIA, Clarence Wolfshohl ...................................................................................................... 44 2 MY SISTER’S BABUSHKA, Clarence Wolfshohl ................................................................................... 45 DON’T GO, Megan Clark ........................................................................................................................ 46 BALM, Tara A. Elliott ............................................................................................................................... 48 PHASES, Tara A. Elliott .......................................................................................................................... 49 CHALLENGER, Bonnie Kennedy ............................................................................................................. 50 NEW, George L. Stein, American Gothic Collage .................................................................................. 51 STAGES OF AGES IN A WOMAN’S BODY, Bonnie Kennedy ........................................................ 52 CINDERELLA, Bonnie Kennedy............................................................................................................... 54 PERSEPHONE’S DAUGHTER, Colie Smigliani ................................................................................. 55 AN OBSESSIVE-COMPULSIVE LIFE, Alicetierney Prindiville-Porto................................................ 56 ANOTHER LATE DAY IN FALL, Sam Silva .................................................................................... 57 AN ENDING, Lily Bell............................................................................................................................ 58 GRAVITY, Katherine Robbins ................................................................................................................... 59 I BLOOM INTO, Katherine Robbins ....................................................................................................... 60 PICASSO IN WOLF SKIN, Katherine Robbins ..................................................................................... 61 DREAMS THREE, Richard Dixon ......................................................................................................... 62 OWL, Richard Dixon .................................................................................................................................. 63 FISHERMAN, Richard Dixon .................................................................................................................. 64 MINNOWS, Tina Baker, Photography .................................................................................................. 65 TOWARD THE DOCK, Tina Baker ..................................................................................................... 66 PERENNIAL, Tina Baker........................................................................................................................ 67 I SPLIT THE SUN LIKE AN ORANGE, Valerie Egan ................................................................... 68 WINTER MORNING IN RED, Ken Hada ......................................................................................... 69 HOW LIGHT COMES, Ken Hada......................................................................................................... 70 IF POCAHONTAS WERE MY ANCESTOR, Margaret Dornaus .................................................... 71 MELUSINA SPEAKS HER MIND, Margaret Dornaus ...................................................................... 72 PICKED, Bill Garten ................................................................................................................................. 73 LOST AND FOUND, Terri Cummings .................................................................................................. 74 MORTUARY, Terri Cummings ................................................................................................................. 75 CONUNDRUM, Terri Cummings ............................................................................................................ 76 LADYBUG BLUES, Charlie Ericson ....................................................................................................... 77 I HEARD YOU PLAY, Charlie Ericson ................................................................................................. 78 WHITE KNIGHT, Charlie Ericson ......................................................................................................... 79 WINTER, Apryl Fox ................................................................................................................................