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Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 07/03/24

July 3, 2024 James D. Casey IV

Liberty Weeps

The Statue of Liberty weeps, her torch has been drown out
by the blood of the innocent.

Lives lost, in unjust killings.

The chains at her feet have been reforged, by laws of men
who are lesser than those they govern.

Her book is tattered, worn
full of names, full of death.

When will our people open their eyes and see through all of these lies?
All of these unconstitutional laws that have been written.

All of our freedoms we have lost, to pay more taxes
to give more power to the government.

She just needs to throw down her once majestic crown
because liberty no longer rules this land.

“Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
the wretched refuse of your teeming shore, send these, the homeless,
tempest-tost to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

None of this means anything anymore.

The Statue of Liberty weeps, her torch has been drown out
by the blood of the innocent.

Michael E. Duckwall was born and raised in the Ohio Valley. A featured poet at the 10th and final Gonzofest in Louisville Ky. His poem “Making Messes” was included in the anthology Encore released in January 2023, and his first book of poetry The Ramblings of a Recovering Poet was published by Pure Sleeze Press in July 2023. Cajun Mutt Press recently published his collection of poetry and artwork titled 7.2 SkullQuake in February 2024. This is how he describes his poems: “I don’t write, I release. I’m not sure if I could hold any of this in, even if I wanted to. Poetry.. my therapy, my friend, my release.”

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 07/01/24

July 2, 2024 James D. Casey IV

The Nobody Inn

it claimed it was a non-smoking unit
but it reeked of stale smoke and there were
cigarette burns in the bedding and the refrigerator
was about a meter from the bed

and there was a towel in the freezer
and a toaster and coffee pot were on top
of the water boiler and there was a hat
wedged behind the tv and the toilet seat

was cracked and someone had left infection
ointment in the vanity and given the number

of bugs and other hungry organisms
in the room you got the impression
the owner of the hotel was a believer
in the sanctity of life

he was a little old indian man
a kind old man with the most elegant hands you’ve
ever seen but when I called him to complain
the phone just kept ringing
and ringing so eventually I gave up

and had a little whisky
and watched bonanza
then lay down
on top of the mattress and slept
with all my clothes on.

M.P. Powers is a Floridian living in Berlin, Germany. He is the author of The Initiate (Anxiety Press, Fall, 2023) and Strange Instruments (Forthcoming ’25). Recent publications include the Columbia Review, Black Stone/White Stone, Stone Circle Review, miniMag, and others. His artwork can be found on Twitter and Instagram @mppowers1132

JULY 2024 CMP Featured Writers

July 1, 2024July 2, 2024 James D. Casey IV

Are y’all ready for Insomniacathon? July 26-28 at the Chapel of St. Philip Neri in Louisville, KY. I’m looking forward to taking the trip, hope to see you there! I’ll have magazine updates for y’all within the next few days. It has the official Insomniacathon schedule inside, and cover art by Chris Dean. The cover art was inspired by the origin story behind Ron Whitehead’s “The Storm Generation Manifesto.” When he took a trip to produce Iceland’s first Beat Generation Festival with Ólafur Gunnarsson. I dedicated this issue to Ron as well since this will be his last Insomniacathon. Love You, Brother.

THE CRITIC AND OTHER STORIES by Ólafur Gunnarsson was also released by Cajun Mutt Press on June 17th!! You can grab a copy by following this link:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D6N593M8

Below are the featured writers for July. Send 1-3 poems with a bio and author photo to cajunmuttpress@gmail.com to be considered for a spot. Magazine submissions are closed for now. I’ll reopen them soon.

Y’all Keep Kicking Ass Out There!

Big Love, Write On,
JDCIV
🤟💀📚
🦉🎟️🦇

BOOKS:
https://cajunmuttpress.com/2021/06/08/cajun-mutt-press-bibliography/

MERCH:
https://cajun-mutt-press.printify.me/products

DONATIONS:
paypal.me/JDCIV

JULY 2024 CMP Featured Writers:

The Nobody Inn
by M.P. Powers
07/01/24

Liberty Weeps
by Michael E Duckwall
07/03/24

Brainwash
by Scott Waters
07/05/24

Dear Marshal,
by Catherine Zickgraf
07/08/24

Patterns and Parking
by Chuck Harp
07/10/24

Hostage Photo
by Mel C. Thompson
07/12/24

Aftertaste
by Bruce Morton
07/15/24

3 A.M.
by Christopher Jones
07/17/24

Hope is
by Leah Mueller
07/19/24

3 POEMS
by John Grochalski
07/22/24

Poet Staggers Cancels Out the Dark
by Michael Lee Johnson
07/24/24

Insomnia
by April Ridge
07/26/24

Poet’s Lament
by Ben Holland
07/29/24

3 POEMS
by Jerome Berglund
07/31/24

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 06/28/24

June 28, 2024 James D. Casey IV

Butterflies in Reverse

You’re a child again
Badass to pain-in-the-ass
To asshole…

Demanding endless
Expired entitlements
Blind to what
You’d once seen
Unaware the toll,
Sacrifices made on
Your behalf
Just like we
Did you back in the day…

Except we were kids
Born into it
And gained insights
We still hold…

Until we become
Children again
Or God willing
Fucking die before
Becoming assholes.

Things Running Through My Head at 3:38 a.m.

Laying awake, needing to piss for the third time, still rolling on that Indica edible I took to sleep along with a tramadol and a trazadone because my joints are all shot and wake me up, I’m in that perfect zone of the warmth where my body meets the bedding and the cool night air coming from the open window, and I’m wondering why I drank to ease my pain, and I drank to hurt myself, at the same times, on the same nights…

DNR

I handed my son a 12-gauge shell, No Burden, written on it in Sharpie/
One in the back of my bald dome when the time comes son/
Don’t lose that but I’m not ready to give you that old Remington 870/
Not just yet.

JD Clapp is based in San Diego, CA. His poems have appeared in Farewell Transmission, Wasteland Review, Roi Fainéant Press, Poverty House, Revolution John, Maya’s Micros/The Closed Eye Opened, and the Remembering Charles Bukowski Anthology (Moonstone, 2023). His chapbook, Underbelly: Grit Poems(Alien Buddha, 2024), was just released.

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 06/24/24

June 24, 2024 James D. Casey IV

Face Painter

There was a sudden sharp sting.
The blood poured out over the concrete.

It appeared black in the darkness.
He couldn’t even be sure it was blood at first.

Then the bastard stabbed him in the face again.
Below the right orbital bone this time.

He hadn’t seen it coming.
Saw the fist and thought it a punch.

Something jumping out of the nearby garbage
and running off with this sudden commotion.

Blood running down into his eyes and mouth,
he threw a winging punch back that connected.

It was enough to scare the bastard off.
Dropping the blade, he remembered that shiny metallic
sound as it bounced off the pavement.

No one there to help,
he shuffled out towards the street.

Collapsing by the waste basket
full of dirty syringes.

Ryan Quinn Flanagan is a Canadian-born author residing in Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada with his wife and many mounds of snow. His work can be found both in print and online in such places as: Evergreen Review, The New York Quarterly, Cajun Mutt Press, Dumpster Fire Press, Red Fez, and The Oklahoma Review.