INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
Amit Parmessur
Elisavietta Ritchie
Donal Mahoney
Fahredin Shehu
Richard Kostelanetz
Alex Ferde
Michelle Bailat-Jones
Duane Locke
Chris Lord
Nahshon Cook
Al Ortelani
Shutta Crum
Ajibola Tolase
Silvia Scheibli
Laszlo Slomovits
Emmanuel Samson
Lyn Lifshin
Running Cub
Nikita Parik
Alan Britt
John Grey
Bhisma Upreti
Paul B. Roth
Jennifer Burd
Sunday Michael
Michael H. Brownstein
Burd
Ali Znaidi
Richard Gartee
Kanev Peycho
Fred Wolven
Petraq Risto
Carolyn Elias
Alabi Oyedeji
Ann Arbor Review
is an independent
International Journal & ezine
Copyright (c) 2015
Francis Ferde
All rights revert back to each poet.
--editor / Southeastern Florida
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AAR history note: in print 1967 - 1980. Irregular publications 1980 - 2004. As ezine 2004 - present. Most of 47 years all together....
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staff:
Francis Ferde
Silver Grey Fox
Running Cub
Fred Wolven
Submissions via e-mail:
LIFE, A DRAMA
Earth, the stage
Though unrehearsed, yet perfectly acted
Dramatis personae, everyone has a part to play
God sure loves drama, watching every character daily,
Creative playwright, I thought Soyinka knew a lot
Fall of Adam; scene one
Fall of Satan; the last scene
'Man-one's' privilege, Eden, my struggle
Chance wasted, I certainly would do worse
Perhaps ate an extra forbidden fruit
Cast is division; we are all characters with different roles
Role confusion leads to poor acting
If I were a star, I would be the brightest
Now that you are you, are you the best you?
From S.A to U.S.A, greener pastures, wrong setting
It's like Eve being massaged in a Jacuzzi
And Noah riding in a limousine
Or Bill Gates on a tree in Eden
I love drama, I love life and I love my role
WE NEVER DATED
A puppet, I was. A drone, I lived
My broad heart fell for her, yet hers never for me
We were friends, close friends, yet we never dated
She needed a companion, just a friend
And my affections were used
Now she has found her love, my time was up
She never cared if I live, she left without goodbye
After all, we never dated
“CRIES OF A REJECT"
Cuddled by the sufferings of life as if she's never letting go.
Tight embrace from pain, I can feel her innermost warmth.
My head burns as if it is from within the sunrise and set.
Buckets of tears rolled down my cheek,
I do not need a river; it's enough for a bathe.
Scary nightmares make me feel I am the masquerade chief.
'Reject! Reject!' is all that echo in my ears,
A total cast away shunned by the world.
'One legged beast', they mock as I limp across the street.
Tortured by even the mirrors, I can look no more
Poverty stricken, hunger driven, thirst ravaged.
Wish I were a leaf hanging lifeless on a tree.
Each day I wished were the very last,
Suicide is certainly no next move,
What if I become a reject in the afterlife?
Why give birth to me to suffer, oh Mama?
To suffer and die just like you?
Hopes for love left my rejected heart in pieces,
Broken to atoms, it can certainly break no more.
My eyes swollen from tears of betrayal,
I never knew Judas still lived.
'Oh God!' I cried 'why cast me where you casted demons?'
Perhaps I am one, a demon in disguise.
Rejected by the world, even rejected by me
Smile ceased from my face from birth,
Every inch ruled by frowns, hate and loneliness
I can live no more
My death is my everyday plea to God
That should be my birthday present, I never received any
Now am dead, are you all happy now?
Only a smile could have made me live
A hug could have healed my wounds
A kiss could have strengthened me
Yet you gave me none
Now am dead, are you happy now?
Sunday Eyitayo Michael, Kaduna, Nigeria