Month: January 2024

Two Poems by Galen Cunningham

~ Randal A. Burd, Jr. ~ Leave a comment

Death of Don Quixote

He thinks he can in words what he fails to transmit in spirit;
that a passage to the heart can be quickened by the intellect—
or even the lips. He’s stupid and weary; a Don Quixote charging
windmills for love. But all of Spain will fade before he surrenders.

A profusion of contradictions set his hands to work each day;
non-existence and existence, love and liberty, life and death,
kindness and malice, etc. etc. He is like everyone else. And yet,
he would have her believe himself chivalry’s last stand.

His coffee pot, his kitchen, his clothes, his books, his rituals,
his diet, are all modern and mundane. But his morning talk is
always peppered with sorcerous dreams that begin and end
with a chalice and a kiss; romances that happily spill blood.

She should crush him. Give him what he represents. Torture
his soul, draw out all his marrow, claw his breast, stab his back,
and sequester him in nothingness like Morgan did to Merlin.
He should learn that he who lives by the sword falls by it.

Yes: bring death to this unaged, outage, ageless Don Quixote.
How many turn-of-the-century enterprises must fail before we
finally abscond from his mad philanthropies of mind trying
to conceive a heart, and heart trying to conceive a mind?

Drown the babe, set free the man. Call his bluff; slap his face.
Wring his nose and leave him coiled. Spend all his money;
buy a hearse. Give Sancho Panza shovel and tequila to make
space for his master to rest: Laugh as he digs, realizing why.

Falling head over hilt, Don Quixote crushed his heart. His
only wisdom: remaining dumb. He lived for his love, died for
her cause; with lance and horse, he made unreason stand tall.
Life is but a breath and Don used his to go down like a kiss.


Jupiter (God-Father)

I am the gaseous giant moving headlong into lonely space
hundreds of millions of miles away from the light.
My days are short, but my years are long; my shadow
my gravity, my existential paths are quixotically unrivaled.
I am moving through thick ebony nothingness, orbiting
fast away from the many arrows piercing my many hearts;
holding onto a wretchedness I can’t remember or forget.
I am the father up all night to converse with death,
making deals on behalf of those dearer than his own heart.
My arms are great pallbearers swinging from Heaven
to Earth and back again; and my hands are trade-winds
guiding the accelerative metrics of warped, bulging space.
My waist is solvent weight breaking up time, clearing
space of debris; whirling, spreading until I collapse.
My feet are mountains that shift the tectonic grapes
of wrath; they are Romeo and Juliet, a pair of actors
kicking the cosmic dust: Woe on them they dance upon.
Men fear, love, revile, envy, desire, and compete with me;
but I am angry, happy; filled with spacious longing.
Moody, moony, thunderstruck, and ringed with fire,
Ruddy and ready to hide my fear: woman neither
stand to be around or away from me. I am their heretic
passion; their guilty fantasy, their nightmare; their fall:
I am the hand that mocked them, the heart that fed;
I am—was—Godspeed. Wobbling, centering, angling
my ancient course, always further into the unknown,
marking passages not even the sun could fathom.
I was almost a star but became this man instead.




Galen Cunningham is a poet and fiction writer from Colorado. His poetry has previously been published by Literary Yard.

“The Ladybug” by Kalina Mishev

~ Randal A. Burd, Jr. ~ 2 Comments

Today I talked to God again,
While standing on an ashtray.
From a lifetime of observing men,
I’ve taught myself to pray.

I said to God, was this your plan?
(Resolving to be direct)
Was I to be an insect
Or was I to be a man?

In truth, I don’t suppose
That I am anything at all.
I don’t feel that much different
From the ash on which I crawl.

No, I am less. The ash concerned
Was once a green tobacco leaf.
I have not been burned or spurned,
Nor felt the cold black hand of grief.

I do not know ecstacy or hope or even fear.  
I shiver and grow frigid
Behind this misty gray veneer,
And I cannot decipher why I am even here.

I have no family to grow,
No kernels yet to sow,
How can I be something
When I have nothing to forego?

Behind me, now, the sound of wings,
In the corner of my eye…
Out of the empty wind, he springs –
A purple dragonfly!

He studies me carefully,
And in his eye…myself I see.
A whisper sounds to flee the scene,
But my dear God, it’s gone, it’s drowned.

Look at my eyes,
Big and black,
No one told me
They shine like that…

Dragonfly, how close you’ve come,
Come a little closer still…
I’ve never seen myself before,
Let me look a minute more. 




Kalina Mishev is an aspiring poet and writer living in Brooklyn, New York. She received her Certificate in Creative Writing from the University of Texas at Austin in 2021 and is working on her first poetry collection.

Two Poems by Terence Culleton

~ Randal A. Burd, Jr. ~ Leave a comment

Caught

after a boardwalk poster

The go-round brings round
merrily the steed midstride,
robbed of its motion, thus
(maybe) furious, foaming

as (now!) the shutter
stops it, blurred, mid-glide,
ictus-click, there, here,
known, not known, come

round contained in its
own orbit, fury-eyed,
fantastically alone, caught
out, mid-stride, mid-

vault here in its arc—
it’s just a ride
and surely one hears
waves somewhere, gears

groaning, slats creaking,
a siren hailing, more
laughter, candy corn, it
rears forward furious-

seeming in its un-
motion, only motion,
deferred, inferred, caught—its
own and only motion.


Ham

Cut-glass carafes,
two white, two red,
wheels of Neufchatel
(cheese for the body,

wine for the head)—
someone laughs,
dings a dinner bell,
upon which we

come over rowdily
drawn thus to you,
the stuff around you,
the dying bell-sound:

you are the primal
victim of our primal
faith in the roasting pit,
the special honeydew

sauce, pineapple-crowned
before us hunkered round
you in the blackened pan,
blistering fat-driblets,

clove-chafed, hide studded
with peppercorns and bits
of lemon rind.—Ham,
you ooze your best

in savory death, how
is it that to host and guest
there’s nothing in this whole damn
world except you now?




Terence Culleton has published poems in a variety of reviews, including Sparks of Calliope. He has been nominated for several Pushcarts, and he has appeared on TV and radio shows in both the Philadelphia area and New York City. Several of his poems have been featured on NPR. A former Bucks County, PA, Poet Laureate, Mr. Culleton’s third volume of poetry, a collection of sonnets entitled A Tree and Gone, is now out through Future Cycle Press and has been featured on the New York Review of Books Independent Press “New Releases” list. It’s available on Amazon or through his website: terenceculletonpoetry.com. 

“The Artist’s Garden” by Gregory E. Lucas

~ Randal A. Burd, Jr. ~ Leave a comment
(Inspired by Ralph Albert Blakelock’s painting The Artist’s Garden — 1880 — American.)

An artist’s garden—
too commonplace to think that it could happen here:
the dusk gathering by degrees
its forceful melancholy,
demanding to be more than daylight’s dwindling,
asserting itself until it changes
with uncanny exactness
into a state of mind.

While the hues of blooming flowers fade,
the once-bright pathways turn gray—
taper to blackened ends.

Fragrances linger
in the springtime air
that holds unanswered questions.
The elm trees’ shadows deepen
until they portray the void within the artist’s soul.
Rows of cultivated flowerbeds
bow to unrealized dreams.
This, while the fading sky and indelible gloom
suffuses the dimming hedges.

Diminutive, in the distance,
a church spire, to which
the dying day’s light clings.
Faith, assurance, and hope
give way to the moment
when disillusionment
renders every leaf and stem colorless.




Gregory E. Lucas writes fiction and poetry. His short stories and poems have appeared in many magazines, such as The Ekphrastic Review, The Horror Zine, and Blueline. He lives on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina. Follow him on Twitter X @GregoryELucas.

It was bound to happen eventually…

~ Randal A. Burd, Jr. ~ 7 Comments

Dear Reader,

As a literary journal, there is often more risk than reward, but as a labor of love we carry on. The more cynical among us might even agree that misfortune strikes eventually should you travel any road long enough. As an editor, you really want pick the diamonds in the rough, and while you try to vet every submission you receive meticulously, you tell yourself that you can’t possibly catch everything. So, while I have tried to do right by you and will continue to do so, it seems that on one occasion I failed. You see… there is a plagiarist among us.

On September 22, 2023, I published two poems entitled “Harbor” and “Dislocated” allegedly written by a Mr. John Kucera (aka John Siepkes). And while they say imitation is the best form of flattery, these poems were copied with only a couple word changes from poems published in The Hudson Review entitled “Neilah; Creature” by Bruce Bond and in Claw and Blossom entitled “The Q & A Section” by Dorsía Smith Silva. This is intellectual property theft on the part of Mr. Kucera. I am profoundly sorry for the editorial oversight and hope Mr. Kucera is appropriately ashamed of himself.

I am replacing Mr. John Kucera’s plagiarized work with links to the original poems and removing Mr. Kucera from our list of contributors. I commend Mr. Bond and Professor Silva on the quality of their poems and extend my apology to them as well.

I am grateful to the editor of another literary journal who also inadvertently published a plagiarized poem submitted by Mr. Kucera and was kind enough to bring this matter to my attention.

Two Poems by Elizabeth I, Queen of England and Ireland

~ Randal A. Burd, Jr. ~ 1 Comment
Elizabeth I (1533 – 1603)

Elizabeth I, Queen of England and Ireland from 1558 to 1603, made significant contributions to English poetry during the Renaissance era. Her reign is often referred to as the Elizabethan Age, a period marked by flourishing arts and culture. Elizabeth I herself was not only a political figure but also a patron of the arts, supporting and influencing the literary endeavors of her time.

One of the notable aspects of Elizabeth’s impact on poetry was her support for poets at her court. She surrounded herself with a circle of talented writers, including some of the most celebrated poets of the period such as Sir Philip Sidney and Edmund Spenser. The court became a vibrant hub for literary activity, fostering creativity and innovation in poetry.

Elizabeth I also played a role as a poet herself. She was well-educated and fluent in multiple languages, allowing her to engage in literary pursuits. Her own works, often written in Latin, French, and English, showcased her intellect and poetic prowess. Her poem “On Monsieur’s Departure” is a poignant exploration of love and loss, reflecting the complexities of her personal life.

Moreover, Elizabeth I’s reign witnessed the rise of the Elizabethan sonnet tradition. The sonnet, a fourteen-line poetic form, gained popularity during this era, and poets like Sir Philip Sidney and William Shakespeare made significant contributions to its development. Elizabethan sonnets often explored themes of love, beauty, and nature, reflecting the intellectual and emotional richness of the time.

Elizabeth I’s influence extended beyond her lifetime, as her patronage and support laid the groundwork for the flourishing of English literature in the subsequent Jacobean era. The cultural and literary legacy of the Elizabethan Age endured for centuries, shaping the trajectory of English poetry.

In summary, Elizabeth I’s contribution to English poetry was multifaceted. As a patron of the arts, she created a nurturing environment for poets at her court. Additionally, her own poetic endeavors and the cultural milieu she fostered contributed to the vibrant literary landscape of the Elizabethan Age, leaving an indelible mark on English poetry.

Two of Elizabeth’s better known poems can be read below.


On Monsieur’s Departure

I grieve and dare not show my discontent,
I love and yet am forced to seem to hate,
I do, yet dare not say I ever meant,
I seem stark mute but inwardly do prate.
I am and not, I freeze and yet am burned,
Since from myself another self I turned.

My care is like my shadow in the sun,
Follows me flying, flies when I pursue it,
Stands and lies by me, doth what I have done.
His too familiar care doth make me rue it.
No means I find to rid him from my breast,
Till by the end of things it be supprest.

Some gentler passion slide into my mind,
For I am soft and made of melting snow;
Or be more cruel, love, and so be kind.
Let me or float or sink, be high or low.
Or let me live with some more sweet content,
Or die and so forget what love ere meant.


When I Was Fair and Young

When I was fair and young, then favor graced me.
Of many was I sought their mistress for to be.
But I did scorn them all and answered them therefore:
Go, go, go, seek some other where; importune me no more.

How many weeping eyes I made to pine in woe,
How many sighing hearts I have not skill to show,
But I the prouder grew and still this spake therefore:
Go, go, go, seek some other where, importune me no more.

Then spake fair Venus’ son, that proud victorious boy,
Saying: You dainty dame, for that you be so coy,
I will so pluck your plumes as you shall say no more:
Go, go, go, seek some other where, importune me no more.

As soon as he had said, such change grew in my breast
That neither night nor day I could take any rest.
Wherefore I did repent that I had said before:
Go, go, go, seek some other where, importune me no more.




The informational article above was composed in part by administering guided direction to ChatGPT. It was subsequently fact-checked, revised, and edited by the editor. The editor/publisher takes no authorship credit for this work and strongly encourages disclosure when using this or similar tools to create content. Sparks of Calliope prohibits submissions of poetry composed with the assistance of predictive AI.

Two Poems by John Whitney Steele

~ Randal A. Burd, Jr. ~ Leave a comment

Borrowings

Stitched into my brain, Dad’s favorite saying:
A job half-done is better not begun.
When I start a poem I’m only playing.
But it’s my job and I’m my father’s son.

And so my duty is to make you feel
as if the top of your head were taken off.
Anything short of that has no appeal.
To write a half-baked rhyme’s not good enough.

Is a job worth doing not worth doing badly,
the perfect not the enemy of the good?
So many questions I would have asked my dad,
but I was busy doing what I could
to garner his approval, honor the old man,
and emulate the little engine: I think I can.


The Swimmer

I undulate my body, dolphin kick,
windmill my arms to breach and dive back in.
With a flick of my fluked tail I’m dolphin;
airborne, I torque my pec-fins, flip and spin.
My podmates, wowed by my new tricks,
celebrate with whistles, squeaks and clicks.

Bobbing on sleep’s surface, drownproofing,
davening before the Wailing Wall,
I rise to clear my blowhole, stoke my lungs,
plunge into the depths of the Kabbalah.

Belly-up, spread-eagled, I embrace
the feathered pillows of the ocean-sky,
enter heaven’s rainbow-pattern gates,
see my face reflected in God’s eye.




John Whitney Steele is a psychologist, yoga teacher, assistant editor of Think: A Journal of Poetry, Fiction and Essays, and graduate of the MFA Poetry Program at Western Colorado University. His poems have been published widely in literary journals and both his chapbook, The Stones Keep Watch, and his full length collection of poetry, Shiva’s Dance, were published by Kelsay Books. John lives in Boulder, Colorado, and enjoys hiking in the mountains. You can visit his website at www.johnwhitneysteelepoet.com.

Two Poems by Felicia Nimue Ackerman

~ Randal A. Burd, Jr. ~ Leave a comment

My New Year’s Resolutions

Every day caress my cat.
Brush him to a golden sheen.
Surf the Net and tour the world
Here on my computer screen.
See that every single meal
Features cookies, pie, or cake.
Resolutions on this list
Surely I will never break.

“My New Year’s Resolutions” first appeared in The New York Times Metropolitan Diary.


The Guest Selects Her Own Indulgences

with apologies to Emily Dickinson

The guest selects her own indulgences,
Then fills a plate
With sweets whose sheer deliciousness
Brooks no debate.

Unmoved, she notes the carrots waiting,
Then turns away,
Unmoved, until her eyes alight on
The pastry tray.

I’ve known her from an ample table,
Choose four,
Then set the force of her attention
On more.

“The Guest Selects Her Own Indulgences” first appeared in The Emily Dickinson International Society Bulletin.




Felicia Nimue Ackerman is a professor of philosophy at Brown University and has had over 280 poems published in a wide range of places, including twenty in past issues of Sparks of Calliope.

Two Poems by Joshua C. Frank

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Night Driving

You’re driving back from out of state.
It’s late at night; home’s far away.
Your headlights on the interstate
Give fifteen feet of not quite day
In blackness from the cloudy sky,
From hills ahead, from hills you’ve passed.
Each big, black mountain flying by
Looks no different from the last.
The road’s white dashes lull your mind;
You sing along to stay awake
With every album you can find—
Night driving’s more than you can take.
A sign appears that lets you know:
Two hundred miles more to go.

“Night Driving” first appeared in Snakeskin.


The Billboard

It’s propped along the route I roll—
A squatting square against the sky,
Atop a sturdy metal pole,
To tell me what new thing to buy.

A squatting square against the sky,
It blocks the airy, fluffy clouds,
To tell me what new thing to buy
To follow the unthinking crowds.

It blocks the airy, fluffy clouds,
A big sign saying come and shop
To follow the unthinking crowds
To buy that brand of soda pop.

A big sign saying come and shop,
Atop a sturdy metal pole,
To buy that brand of soda pop—
It’s propped along the route I roll.

“The Billboard” was first published by The Society of Classical Poets.




Joshua C. Frank works in the field of statistics and lives in the American Heartland.  His poetry has been published in The Society of Classical Poets, Snakeskin, The Lyric, Westward Quarterly, Atop the Cliffs, Our Day’s Encounter, The Creativity Webzine, Verse Virtual, and The Asahi Haikuist Network, and his short fiction has been published in Nanoism and The Creativity Webzine.

Two Poems by John Tustin

~ Randal A. Burd, Jr. ~ Leave a comment

Life is Flowers

Life is flowers
In a plot of dirt
With small stones around them
In a rugged circle

And you and I
Stand outside of the fence
Where the flowers exalt the sun,
Their green arms extended upward
In their plot of dirt
With small stones around them
In a rugged circle.

You and I look into that place
Impossibly bright and green
And red and gold
From our asphalt spot
And we see the flowers that exalt the sun
With their green arms extended upward
In their plot of dirt
With small stones around them
In a rugged circle

And the flowers look like lovely young men and women
Exalting God and the sun
And once in a while a breeze catches their scent
And brings it to us
And there we stand, smelling the flowers that look like lovely young men and women
Exalting God and the sun
With their green arms extended upward
In their plot of dirt
With small stones around them
In a rugged circle

From our impossible distance
Outside that fence.


Cupped Hands

I kept trying to hold you in my cupped hands
and most of you spilled through the spaces
because you are thinner than water most of the time.

What little of you I could hold onto
I splashed on my face
and you danced in my hair, clung to my eyebrows,
ran giggling down my shoulders,
dampened the down of my chest.

Soon enough you had evaporated,
not even cooling my skin anymore.
I looked into my cupped hands where I once held
but a small pool of you,
each palmar crease tingling with memory and loss,
a giddy little jolt of arousal and joy
still pulsing up and down,
up and down the heart line.




John Tustin has poetry forthcoming in Eunoia Review, Trailer Park Quarterly, Blue Unicorn and others. His first poetry collection is available from Cajun Mutt Press. He is also a previous contributor to Sparks of Calliope. Find links to his poetry published online here.