INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Silvia Scheibli
'Deji W. Adesoye
Chris Lord
Ali Znaidi
Paul B. Roth
Umm-e-Aiman Vejlani
Lyn Lifshin
Laszlo Slomovits
Naim Kelmendi
Richard Kostelanetz
Anton Gojcaj
Duane Locke
Jennifer Burd
David Ishaya Osu
Steve Barfield
Miguel A Bernao Burrieza
Richard Gartee
Violeta Allmuca
Alan Britt
Fred Wolven
Ilire Zajmi
Running Cub
Donal Mahoney
Fahredin Shehu
Peter Tase
Nahshon Cook
Al Ortolani
Alex Ferde
Anton Frost
Michelle Bailat-Jones
Lazlo Slomovits & Jennifer Burd
Karyn M. Bruce
A. J. Huffman
Michael D. Long
Ann Arbor Review
is an independent
International Journal & ezine
Copyright (c) 2013
Francis Ferde
All rights revert back to each poet.
--editor / Southeastern Florida
------------------------------------------------
staff:
Francis Ferde
Silver Grey Fox
Running Cub
Fred Wolven
Submissions via e-mail:
ALL THE DIFFERENCE
When the left-turn stoplight arrow turned green
The car ahead of me, first in line, did not move.
The driver was motionless
Except for the silhouette of her head
Turning as if viewing the morning,
Without a phone held to ear
Or apparent physical distress,
As if impaled without warning by
Spring languor, a forgotten to-do list, or even a daydream--
Like a butterfly at blossom unexpectedly pinned to a board.
I reflexively lifted a hand to the horn
Befitting a restless 100-mile daily commuter
But only circled a fingertip warily
On the button's embossment without pressure
Inexplicably choosing to wait out these seconds
Of a tightly scheduled Saturday morning.
Wondering at my complicity, and in what?
A third car accumulated behind me,
All of our horns silent.
We had each sensed and confirmed earlier,
I supposed,
The first complete Spring day of the year
Passing through our city
With unpredictable momentum.
The sky progressively bluer
Above a chilly March-edged breeze
That eased through warming mid-April sunlight.
And now through open car windows
Threaded faint, sweet smells of new green
And the versed song of an April robin
From the gold course bordering the street.
Ordinary and unremarkable sensations otherwise,
But in these moments on this morning
Providing what seemed mutual reason enough--
As unacquainted hikers might pause
For breath and a sigh
At first sight of the destination
After a very cold and long uphill hike.
Michael D. Long, Ann Arbor, Michigan