sister – Cajun Mutt Press

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 05/22/23

May 22, 2023 James D. Casey IV

TWISTED SISTER

Hey, sis, who I cried
so hard not to hate,
got the short end of too many sticks
broken by the men in the family
married a Jewish boy
flunked out of college together
his mom broke up the marriage
three abortions, failed
to tell dad who died of a sudden
heart attack, causing your massive guilt
dyed beautiful strawberry blond hair
until it looked like a broken bale
creative early childhood teacher
thrown away with addictions
two jobs— first a dress store,
no paycheck, ran a bill up for garb
last job a telephone saleslady
fired for rampant body odor
married again, best pea soup on Earth
ravioli to think you were Italian
drank him out of the house
into an alimony shackle
hatred and denial his only luggage
moved near your brothers
lied faster than constant
emphysema-hacking breaths,
spiders and snakes spewed
from lips like the bad sister
in the fairy tale. No words of love
or pearls of wisdom versed
like the kind, good sister
angry and demanded care
for every immediate need
ran out of money, never
able to untwist pills, died
in permanent nursing home,
funeral more glad than sad.

Having started writing poetry a few years back, Vern Fein, a recent octogenarian, has published over 250 poems on over 100 different sites. His first poetry book-I WAS YOUNG AND THOUGHT IT WOULD CHANGE—was published last year and he is currently close to his second book. He does not have a personal muse. His Muse is the entire world of poetry.

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 09/29/21

September 29, 2021 James D. Casey IV

Alive With No Regrets

When my family departed here earlier this evening my brother’s wife remarked in passing, “I’m so glad you’re not dead.”

I could only reply, “Me too. It does free up the senses, doesn’t it?”

She looked at me and smiled and then they closed the door and it was another day here, just me here alone with my cat. Still not dead yet.

Will Mayo is the author of Dreams Of Mongolia, Hoodoo Voodoo, The Shells Encasing Our Nothingness, Bone Talking, and other books of the extraordinary. He lives with his six-toed black cat in Frederick, Maryland, said by some to be the most haunted city in the state. Most of his writing is done between the hours of 3 a.m. and sunrise. He enjoys wordplay and strange tales, and hopes you do too.

Cajun Mutt Press Featured Writer 08/16/21

August 16, 2021 James D. Casey IV

Fragment

Betrayal found me early
giving birth to Grundyism.
Collaborators in this caper
were seniors at school,
or from our colony
in the cantonment
who befriended me
to call or come home.

When they were acquainted
with sister
a year and some months older:
I was cast aside
from their circuit of friendship.
Androgen has no grace.

Sanjeev Sethi has authored five books of poetry. Hesitancies by CLASSIX, an imprint of Hawakal, in July 2021 is his latest. A month before it, he released Bleb from Hybriddreich in Scotland. He is published in over thirty countries. He is the joint-winner of Full Fat Collection Competition-Deux, organized by The Hedgehog Poetry Press UK. He is in the top ten of the erbacce prize 2021 UK. He lives in Mumbai, India.