A hooker was in trouble, She twisted on her bed And when she could, she whispered, And this is what she said: ‘Go out and find my true love, the one who did me dirt. I’m sure he’s with another – don’t give the lady hurt. But tell him what transpired, He ought to know … Read more

incarceration rates per 100,000 in 1992 indonesia incarcerates 22 and other countries are very poor you see mother india incarcerates 23 a real land of the brave and home of the free greece 60 and denmark 66 yes they have criminals and they make their laws stick japan incarcerates 36 industrial, rich and yet not … Read more

Lover, tell me what you see down there. I tried a mirror, but it’s hairy down there. Jewel of many names – lotus garden, nappy dugout, yoni, down there. Lilith got bored with missionary. Kneel and taste the honey down there. Adam refused. I need a woman under me. Besides, you bleed and pee down … Read more

Tune: A Day in the Life (Beatles) I read the news today OOOOOOOOOOOOY VEY! About a lucky Prez who stole the Parade And tho the news was rather sad Well I just had to laugh Looking at the comic photograph. He blew Saddam’s brain out in a fallout shelter But he didn’t notice that the … Read more

[Epilogue from Timothy Mayer’s production of Aristophanes’ “Peace” ] Apologies to Aristophanes We feel we must extend the end he’d planned And graft some new material on his grand Finale, as a warning. We too hate war And think the country’s governed by a house of whores. Write your petition. Fine, sign it. But while … Read more

When we were boys We called each other “Man” With a long n Pronounced as if a promise We wore felt hats That took a month to buy In small installments Shiny Florsheim or Stacy Adams shoes Carried our dancing gait And flashed our challenge Breathing our aspirations into words We harmonized our yearnings to … Read more

Roxane Beth Johnson’s first book of poetry, Jubilee, won the Philip Levine Award for Poetry and was published by Anhinga Press, 2006. Here’s one of our favorite poems from that collection: Weeknight Services The organ’s flare-hued opera hummed loud in the small church above the bar with its bumpy music. Our voiccs wound up being … Read more