Speculative Fiction and Poetry
What’s in the Shadows by Linda Ann Lo Schiavo
What’s in the Shadows Linda Ann Lo Schiavo The shadow spirits roam when darkness falls. They’ll lead a drowsy, sly cotillion, fly Through secret gardens gathering masked blooms Like belladonna, foxglove, or bloodroot. Each time you jerk awake, they’re visiting, Dripping moist jewels of…The Galilean Moons by Linda Ann Lo Schiavo
The Galilean Moons Linda Ann Lo Schiavo (inspired by Alla Luna, a poem by Giacomo Leopardi) The Galilean moons came visiting. Here’s Io, Ganymede, Europa with Callisto, cloaked in light, a splendid sight. My failures tied me to life’s dimmer side. Divine they looked,…Cupid and Psyche by Linda Ann LoSchiavo
Cupid and Psyche LindaAnn LoSchiavo The lover’s prize is friction —— Cupid knows —— As sex re-models the interior, Begins to dangerously mural a mind. Young Psyche pocketed virginity, Kept innocence like an extra…Bewitching Words by John C. Mannone
Bewitching Words John C. Mannone I found a poem in a coven of words hiding in enchanted inculcations of a psalm but it morphed as if a spell had been cast so they flew away t•h•i•r•t•e•e•n b•l•a•c•k letters fluttering as birds1348 by Russell Hemmell
1348 Russell Hemmell He arrived on Sunday, after a winter of sleep and snow. A jester with clear blue eyes, pale lithe hands and white flowers in them. He smiled and said, I come in peace. I ply my trade with buffooneries and riddles,…Mussie by Richard Stevenson
Mussie Richard Stevenson Hi, I’m Mussie of Muskrat Lake. Pleased to make yer acquaintance. Some say I’ve got three eyes; some think I’m a lake-bound walrus, for heaven’s sake! For the record, I’ve got two peeps, same as you. Ain’t no plesiosaur land-locked since…The Gugwe by Richard Stevenson
The Gugwe Richard Stevenson Next time you get the notion of filling a water bottle and prepping a tent, backpack, and sleeping bag for a camp-out in the deep, dark woods, think again! Unless you’ve got a forty-four magnum pistol or side cannon of…Clahuchu and Bride by Richard Stevenson
Clahuchu and Bride Richard Stevenson Last of the Juju tribe of Devil Men, Clahuchu and bride lay side by side in the coffin dug up from their Haitian grave. Mummies most mum about their circumstances, they nevertheless manage to exude evil it seems. Anyone…Riding the Tiger by Bryan Thao Worra
Riding the Tiger Bryan Thao Worra Burying my wars, these memories of you: “It don’t mean nothing,” wondering who Will stop the rain and who knows the way back To San Jose, ten thousand places you left your hearts. What a song for all…Screaming From My Throne of Stars by Bryan Thao Worra
Screaming From My Throne of Stars Bryan Thao Worra Were we wise, we’d have slain that orange arhat On the spot 39 bygone millennia when he “blessed” our house To reach every star we saw that bright august night. What karmic weight we since…Tikbalang by Vince Gotera
Tikbalang Vince Gotera switched-up Centaur stalks evening, brown baton like stone horse head, hooves silent In Philippine mythology, the tikbalang is a hybrid creature with a horse’s head and hooves on a human body—or humanoid, since he has limbs proportionately longer than a…Eclipse by Vince Gotera
Eclipse Vince Gotera dread Bakunawa dragon breaches from ocean swallows bright full moon This haiku is based on Philippine mythology. The bakunawa is a sea dragon that hankered to eat the seven moons that were in our ancient sky. He ate six of…Venus by Vince Gotera
Venus Vince Gotera brilliant arrow point hunter goddess’s flexed bow the moon’s silver arcCthulhu by Vince Gotera
Cthulhu Vince Gotera tender tentacles touch us from eldritch space cold Messiah’s green loveFrankenstein by Vince Gotera
Frankenstein (1931) Vince Gotera Boris Karloff’s hands tremble like soft wings lovebirds in air sweet musicPrince Charming by Vince Gotera
Prince Charming Vince Gotera With quotes from Ann Sexton’s poem “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” Well, yeah, that’s what they call me …Aubade by Vince Gotera
Aubade Vince Gotera —a terza rima haiku sonnet Steve grinned, waking up to see Stephanie’s cute face, freckled, soft pink lips parted slightly, lace lingerie showing pale throat. Spring morning sun’s rays streaming in to…The Makings of Dragons by Herb Kauderer
The Makings of Dragons Herb Kauderer At first, dragons were rare monsters conjured by wizards who spent long months slowly simmering essences with which to imbue their creations. Emerald, ruby, copper, gold, diamond, and more were used as dragon’s essence. And, as wizards included…The Gate by Frank Coffman
The Gate Frank Coffman Within this weird, eerie woodland deep and dark, Is a Gate that opens unto realms of Horror, A strange doorway whence—should thou choose to embark— Thou shalt find a place of Terrors ne’er dreamt before. At first, only the fog!…If But They Could by Frank Coffman
If But They Could (a Cynaraelle Sonnet*—invented form) Frank Coffman The full moon glides above the horror forest glade. Stark, gnarled, and dark, the trees’ bare branches creak. The hunter, listening, knows a werewolf has been made— And, somewhere in those trees, the sometimes-man…A Time to Shrink by Herb Kauderer
A Time to Shrink Herb Kauderer The humans named her Inner Bigness, but she was just a lab rat. Maybe it was the name that set her apart, or maybe the humans recognized something special. It took a matter of only a few months…Rust Dragon by Herb Kauderer
Rust Dragon Herb Kauderer He lives in the swamps far from the metal users and the mountains they mine for ore. What humans consider lasting tools and weapons are limp and weathered reeds in his decaying grasp. Here among the ever-rotting trees and weeds…sometimes unobserved is just the same by Herb Kauderer
sometimes unobserved is just the same Herb Kauderer the travels of the daytime moon are overwhelmed by sol’s light and so those travels get none of the publicity of Luna’s nighttime journeys but still she bides her time & goes her way happily secure…Black Demon Shark by Richard Stevenson
Black Demon Shark Richard Stevenson Melanized great white shark or sixty-foot megalodon spied just off the coast of the Baja, California, peninsula? Who knows? He’s got a huge threshing tail though and concentric rows of nasty teeth. Not the sort of denizen you wanna…Mugwump by Richard Stevenson
Mugwump Richard Stevenson Lake Temiskaming, Ontario, is my home. Don’t often surface, so you may not know me. “Old Tessie” is one handle, but Mugwump?! Really?! That’s such an insulting moniker. Makes me feel like I don’t even swim, just hang my head and…Skinwalker Ranch by Richard Stevenson
Skinwalker Ranch Richard Stevenson Skinwalker Ranch ain’t on no maps – at least the parts yer interested in: the hellmouth portals, astral wormholes. After you’ve been there though, you’ll know: the solution to the sasquatch/dogman quandary ain’t all material. Hey, don’t soil yer laundry….A Voyage to the Moon by David C. Kopaska-Merkel
A Voyage to the Moon David C. Kopaska-Merkel The open window welcomes the night: a cornucopia of urgency, noises sharp and subtle, night’s warm breath framed by southern oak. I read now by moonlight, alone, ensconced in the window seat, the pages brimming with…Things That Go Bump & Smile In The Night by Kathleen A. Lawrence
Things That Go Bump & Smile In The Night Kathleen A. Lawrence When I wasn’t tall enough for the roller coaster every night I pretended to be sleeping in the bottom bunk closing my eyes tight until my siblings snored in chorus then I…The Conjunction: Jupiter Pursues Venus by Kathleen A. Lawrence
The Conjunction: Jupiter Pursues Venus Kathleen A. Lawrence “Meet me on the other side of the moon,” Jupiter gestured. Soft and deliberate, shy Venus stretched out for her love with unfurling desire. Shining brightly together, their orbits breathing in rhythm, the planets paused before…Unstole It by Jim Davies
Unstole It Jim Davies On an old Baroque pillow drops an odd, cold blood of a dead god. Somebody touched broke in the hold, with the original key, and stole it. Breathing on it makes falling raindrop things. Smelling it allows you…Blue Flowers by John C. Mannone
Blue Flowers John C. Mannone . After ‘Rapunzel’ An old witch desired the young virgins; they could stop the withering of time with their hair full of elixir oil. A crooked smile writhed on her wrinkled face; her eyes gleamed when she came to…The Photograph by John C. Mannone
The Photograph John C. Mannone The fireplace embers a warmth into the room, coals glow dull red, cold air lifts its bitter edge. I see you on our favorite sofa, the one with paisley cones, feathered cushions. You in silk, provocative, sheer lavender clinging…Reality’s Weave by Kendall Evans
Reality’s Weave by Kendall Evans She handed me Reality’s weave All tangled up Worse than a Gordian knot And I thought: Do the Fates Really expect me To unravel this? From infras to ultras A disordered rainbow Of colorful threads Extending to infinity Some…Flight of the Dragon by Kendall Evans
Flight of the Dragon by Kendall Evans The Dragon soars Above the world Over the hilltops Seeking prey in meadows and valleys Hungering for goats, calves, pigs, sheep In villages far below The Dragon flies high Over white-iced mountain ridges Plunging down toward Lantern-lit…Third Floor Bookstore by Herb Kauderer
Third Floor Bookstore Herb Kauderer I stood in the warm colored neon watching dusk turn black, waiting for the Dreamer’s Mall to open is lying beneath endless layers of blankets waiting in the early morning for the winter sun to rise. When at last…Selected Scifaiku by Richard H. Fay
wander the ether drift past strange and frightful beasts bodiless journey ray gun destruction end of civilization alien conquest clash of tempered steel armoured gladiators meet robotic war games gothic armour mainspring powers pulleys clockwork knight green chitinous domes buzzing atop purple trees insectoid…Dionysus by Andrea Laws
Dionysus Andrea Laws serpents no longer crown his horns his limbs… torn to burn and stir giving birth to pomegranates for mortal blood drunk and sober realities accompanied with weapons of vines and ivy, shackle the cursed witnesses of his transformations…Etiquette for the Postmodern World by A. K. Drees
Etiquette for the Postmodern World A. K. Drees My goat merman has eyes like coin slits in golden spheres, beard matted with spit and flecks of grass— after the withers, the pelt slicks into curved plates, shimmering down to a cloven tail. His teeth…Leather Dragon by Herb Kauderer
Leather Dragon Herb Kauderer Conjured of scales and hides from creatures long since dead he is never completely alive or completely himself. The longings and desires of those whose skin he wears flicker like an uncovered candle through his brain. When he is not…Leather Dragon by Herb Kauderer
Leather Dragon Herb Kauderer Conjured of scales and hides from creatures long since dead he is never completely alive or completely himself. The longings and desires of those whose skin he wears flicker like an uncovered candle through his brain. When he is not…The River of Stars By Kendall Evans
The River of Stars By Kendall Evans Shall we not depart The Courts of the Moon Abandon the Chambers of Nautilus? Follow these tracks to Old Phobos Station— Let your shuttles recline at Asteroid Oasis Preparing at last for Jupiter Transit Tomorrow we sail…Star Greeting by Wendy S. Delmater
Star Greeting Wendy S. Demater The elven constellations are cataloged by scholars Some are named for objects—the Plow and the Bear. Some are named for historical figures, Commemorating this elven scholar, that artisan, a well-loved king. All are elves gone on to the halls…far from worship by Herb Kauderer
far from worship Herb Kauderer feathered serpent mired in steam rising from lush wet forest spined ferns reach twenty feet into sky daring you to land & vines clutch like the many handed tribes pull at you like ghosts of long murdered ancestors float,…Djinn by Herb Kauderer
Djinn Herb Kauderer Control box of mystic switches unexplained lights wishful dials what sweet caress will fire your passion? What strange whispers will turn your head? I am your shepherd through the long journey between stars and when you finally wake from ancient slumber…Stonehenge by Herb Kauderer
Stonehenge Herb Kauderer Phenomenon: An unaccountable occurrence. It was cold and sunny at Stonehenge. Herded 100 feet away by rope-bound rubber paths we shuffled with the crowd while clouds moved in and covered the sun. Rain spattered stones and wet the green lichen that…Through the Ages by Herb Kauderer
Through the Ages Herb Kauderer The Pythia at Delphi observed in passing that poets touch people with their words but do so without understanding what those words mean. The poets do not understand the people either, yet their touch means so much that people seek…Dryad by Herb Kauderer
Dryad Herb Kauderer tree limbs wildly flail human eyes are distracted wood nymph sneaks away First appeared in 50 Haikus #9 March 2016Phlegethon by Herb Kauderer
Phlegethon Herb Kauderer see the reflection framed in tendrils of flame and leaves of smoke then pass through the forge of Hephaestus if you can first appeared in Calliope Jan/Feb 1992Lethe by Herb Kauderer
Lethe Herb Kauderer kneel at the banks by the ford and peer into the soft wrinkled brown-green blanket watch it undulate in random patterns calling in a voice that soaks up sound birdcall & leaf flame & wood absorbed & reformed into gently urging…Cocytus by Herb Kauderer
Cocytus Herb Kauderer the waters reach down your throat and pull the cry of the deserted the wail of the deserter the scream that empties the soul and when every thread of emotion has snapped you may pass first appeared in Tiamat #5 June/July…Acheron by Herb Kauderer
Acheron Herb Kauderer cry your tears into the river let your sorrows flow until this tributary owns the salty tang of ocean and you can share its endless thirsting need first appeared in Sozoryoku #8 Dec 1992Night Shivers by Herb Kauderer
Night Shivers Herb Kauderer Herodotus said “We can never stand in the same river twice because the water of life is always moving.” that’s why ghosts are cold. Ghosts freeze life chain the past around the ankle of the future an iceberg anchor. &…Reality’s Weave by Kendall Evans
Reality’s Weave Kendall Evans She handed me Reality’s Weave All tangled up A Gordian Knot And I thought: Do the fates Really expect me To unravel this? From infras to ultras A disordered rainbow Of colorful threads Extending to infinity Some of the strands…Styx by Herb Kauderer
Styx Herb Kauderer and so the gods call upon you as one by one they drink your name to seal divine contract with no pity for your station nor tear to feed your vigilance they know you feed upon yourself to heal their lies…duration of the crossing by Herb Kauderer
duration of the crossing Herb Kauderer every renewal of faith in love & romance is paler a white marble gravestone to innocence a glowing personal Charon guiding us each across our own River Styx a river that flows with the melted bodies of fears…Out of Hades by Herb Kauderer
Out of Hades Herb Kauderer Persephone’s cat counts the days to equinox coolness of summer. first appeared in Stinkwaves Oct 2016keeping company by Herb Kauderer
keeping company Herb Kauderer kokopelli figurine dances when you’re not looking rehearses flute songs while you’re vacuuming hides keys when you try to leaveScylla by Herb Kauderer
Scylla Herb Kauderer You did nothing but refuse the advances of Glaucus who held Circe’s eye. You were blamed anyway. As a sea nymph you must have expected it. Nymphs are always blamed by those who don’t know better & often by those who…Priestess’ Nightmare by Herb Kauderer
Priestess’ Nightmare Herb Kauderer Asleep in her private grove the high priestess dreams: Gods & goddesses assemble to hear her rightful requests. But as she speaks they reach out & change her stretching and molding until she stands frozen into some bizarre statue. Unable…Basilisk by Herb Kauderer
Basilisk Herb Kauderer there is no sweeter feel than hard rough rocks scraping your belly as you slowly drag yourself into some hidden crevice these humid, dark days are best for hunting farther from water prey can be lulled into a security that seems…Depth Perception by Herb Kauderer
Depth Perception Herb Kauderer One-eyed Polyphemus stands, towering over men and stares into the distant seas at bright striped sails & pounding drums. He longs to leave his island home but has no idea how far away the shore. first appeared…Satyr Insane by Herb Kauderer
Satyr Insane Herb Kauderer Kar-chon sits anchored in the stream of soulless & damned that rages through the underworld. Crowds push at his rocky mount surging blindly sometimes even shaking the stones he stoically rests upon. Stationed, he grinds his hooves…Medusa by Herb Kauderer
Medusa Herb Kauderer Late at night she lies awake dreaming of her beautiful blind lover. She can see his face through closed eyes & imagines the sweet feel of his embrace. She pretends the caresses she feels are not her own…Having Touched Sky by Herb Kauderer
Having Touched Sky Herb Kauderer Pegasus should have freed Equus ferus from the tyranny of dirt and gravity, but once aloft the winds he could not force himself to settle down and breed.Hunting by John C. Mannone
Hunting John C. Mannone He was always a farmer, but now the ground is too hard to till—cracked clay, starved for rain, a wilderness he did not expect. His wife pregnant with twins (she just knew). Hunger gnaws their bellies, regret refluxes their throats….Yellow Spiders by John C. Mannone
Yellow Spiders John C. Mannone I hid from the sky yellowed with the rotting sun, and from bombs exploding behind the cumulonimbus. My heart shattered anyway shrapneling troops, tattering uniforms: the blue and the gray. Young bones, pierced in the carnage, escaped through…Considering Alicia Austin by Lyn McConchie
On Considering Alicia Austin Lyn McConchie I walked out one May morning to see a cat up in a tree, I gazed at her – she gazed at me. “You foolish cat,” I muttered, “You’re meant to be below. Cats are meant to walk…The Yeren’s Complaint by Richard Stevenson
The Yeren’s Complaint Richard Stevenson Yeah, we’re hairy, healthy Yerin. Don’t appreciate yer starin’ Just wanna root for roots and berries. Never mind our dental caries. Leave us a bar of soap, some shampoo. Let us soak our yarbles in a pool instead of…Goddesses by Kathleen A. Lawrence
Goddesses Kathleen A. Lawrence (abecedarian) Aphrodite bows. Calliope, demure, efficiently flirts. Glorious Hera intimidates, jauntily kissing loose men. Never opinionated, Psyche quivers romantically, sinking to Titans’ Underworld. Velvet waxing, Xanthe yearns for Zeus.Double or Nothing on Pascal’s Wager by Daniel R. Jones
Double or Nothing on Pascal’s Wager Daniel R. Jones Eleanor, I think I want to go where you are. But I worry. naught but negative feedback came through the visual metaphors- Laid out flatlined across a gurnee in the threshold of an elevator, white…Fiskerton Phantom by Richard Stevenson
Fiskerton Phantom Richard Stevenson F-f-f- fear the Fiskerton Phantom, ABC – Alien Big Cat — of Lincolnshire, U.K. Big as a cougar; black as a panther. ‘E’s not about to scamper around to the back porch for handouts, miss; ‘e’s more of the pounce…Amomonga by Richard Stevenson
Amomonga Richard Stevenson Amomonga, Negros Island ape – Orang mawas, Ikugan equivalent names. “Wild monkey” that lives in the caves of Mt. Kanlaon. You like the innards of goats and chickens, Have eviscerated a couple of humans too to hear the folks of La…Akkorakamui by Richard Stevenson
Akkorakamui Richard Stevenson Akkorakamui’s gonna nab you, if not with his long-reach tentacles then by his noxious inky exudate or foul-smelling body odour. Whew! You’ll wanna flee the scene a.s.a.p. lest you burn out both nostrils in a caustic neural holocaust. Akky baby! Got…Manipogo by Richard Stevenson
Manipogo Richard Stevenson Manipogo – or Winnipogo – when you’re in a Winnipeg visitin’ mood – you sure got slinky, hinky moves. You can howl, whisper, whimper, croon… Lord knows you’d win a talent show if you ever had to compete with a loon….Woodwose by Richard H. Fay
Woodwose Richard H. Fay Saplings quiver then bow, bent by a hirsute brute possessed of gleaming eyes far too human. Originally published in Aphelion, December/January Issue, December 2011Wondrous Gobbledygook by Richard H. Fay
Wondrous Gobbledygook Richard H. Fay On a wonderful Nagoogoo morn, While the bumox skip across the fwa, I strum the strings of my zidipip And slowly sip a gurgle burgle Beside the pink waters of Baffbee. On the puboo of a keckleschmeck, I spy…Tipsy Rambler by Richard H. Fay
Tipsy Rambler Richard H. Fay Tipsy rambler roams Darkened moorland. Tricksy goblins shift Moonlit landmarks. Befuddled soul trips D o w n Rocky brae. Invisible imps Laugh. Originally published in Aphelion, Issue 182, Volume 18, March 2014The Brownie by Richard H. Fay
The Brownie Richard H. Fay Sweep, sweep, sweep, Clean the farmhouse floor in secret While tired mortal family sleeps. Wipe the table, dust the cupboard, Keep this farmer’s home looking neat. Churn, churn, churn, Perform certain household magic By making butter out of cream….Menage à Tiger and Dragon by Vince Gotera
Menage à Tiger and Dragon Vince Gotera In Chinese mythology, Dragon and Tiger are opposing forces, portrayed in art as always in epic battle against each other. Tiger and Dragon Pine for Each Other Dragon and Tiger love each other like dawn Sun and harvest…The Knights of Night by Ed Blundell
The Knights of Night Ed Blundell Beneath the Cornish blue, grey sea, The bells of Lyonesse swing free, Rocked in the bosom of the deep, The knights of Lyonesse still sleep. On a summer night when the wind was still, And the blood red…Rite to Know by Ed Blundel
Rite to Know Ed Blundell A half remembered reality of something that was before, Haunts me with shadowed fragments locked behind Time’s door. A misted, dim reflection in memory’s cracked mirror face, Taunts me by almost showing that distant, different place. Bound by chords…Sacrifice by Ed Blundell
Sacrifice Ed Blundell She was so young and beautiful So gentle and so sweet. They bound her tightly to the stake And tied her hands and feet. They left her on the mountain side, Knowing what would befall. They would not stay, they knew…The Curse by Ed Blundell
The Curse Ed Blundell Four thousand years had melted by, Since that ancient time before, Four thousand years had passed since last, They had sealed the tomb’s stone door. Carved guardians watched in silence, As the centuries unfurled, And other watchers guarded, That were…Blood Birth by Ed Blundell
Blood Birth Ed Blundell We stand on the bare, windswept moorside, In the circle of standing stones, Where the priests are chanting the ancient rhymes, And the cold cuts into our bones. We are deep in the bleak, dark midwinter, And the land must…Dorothy Delivered by Kathleen A. Lawrence
Dorothy DeliveredKathleen A. Lawrencespiraling abecedarianAlice Abbreviated by Kathleen A. Lawrence
Alice AbbreviatedKathleen A. Lawrencespiraling abecedarianPRINCESS P, IN A SPIN by David C. Kopaska-Merkel and Kendall Evans
PRINCESS P, IN A SPINDavid C. Kopaska-MerkelKendall EvansIPrincess P twirls in placeLike one of those ballerinas Impaled upon a postAtop a wind-up music boxShe was a real princessEven if she didn’t have a real namePrincess P tried to laugh it off:The rabbit, the giant…Wicked child! by David C. Kopaska-Merkel and Kendall Evans
Wicked child!David C. Kopaska-MerkelKendall EvansMomshealwaysembarrassedyou when she was withyou remember when she wrote inthe sky “surrender Dorothy!” you thought that was sorude you wanted to drift awayyou rid yourself of her but you’rejust likethat witchThe endDragon-in-Training by Vince Gotera
Dragon-in-TrainingVince Gotera —terza rimaRawrr. Oh, that isn’t nearly loud enough. Ahem . . .RAWRRRR. Ahem ahem. That’s rough on the throat.My windpipe is sore from practicing breathing flame.Listen, I’m a dragon, yes, but jeez, I’m only thirteen.A teenage dragon, I guess you’d say. I’m…Adonis by David C. Kopaska-Merkel
Adonis by David C. Kopaska-MerkelFirst published in “The Conspiracy Unmasked,” 1994Adonis rises, drifting with the tide, and fallsThe while he’s floating through the Sea-King’s weed-choked halls.He’s trapped forever, reaching for the golden sky,Beneath dark crystal seas, where velvet forests lie.Adrift upon the tide, the…
Book Plates available through Richard H. Fay’s Azure Lion Productions Zazzle Store
Anieth features online fantasy graphic novels for YA and up. A.R. Stone has also created cards and prints highlighting European mythology. This site is a must for lovers of ancient Europe, Wiccan, Celtic and Viking lore.
Metastable Systems – speculative poetry from David Kopaska-Merkel. Available in all standard E-book formats
