Literary as hell.

Tag: Joan McNerney

Flash Fiction by Joan McNerney

Another Small Death

Assured his references would be fine, two week’s notice was given, severance check guaranteed.  That would give him one month total to get a life.

Freakyfour years gone just like that.   Exiting in long strides through swinging doors, Gary walked to the elevator.   This whole building, all twenty six floors, would be there when he was gone.  His work was unimportant, in a few weeks nobody would remember him.

His hands hung in a gesture of hopelessness.  His tongue covered with thick crust leaving a bad taste in his mouth.  He sat down more numb than anything else.  Shuffling his options like broken glass through his mind…if only one thought could come out straight, one sliver of truth.  But truth could be hard to handle, like shards of glass, slashing your face.  The bleary sky was streaked by blood red rays from a setting sun.  Night approached deep and dark.

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Halloween Contest Finalist: Joan McNerney

These poems by Joan McNerney are finalists of the Furious Gazelle’s Halloween contest. The contest’s winner will be announced Friday. View the rest of the finalists here.

 

Joan McNerney

 

Night

 

Slides under door jambs
pouring through windows
painting my room black.

 

This evening was spent
watching old movies.
Song and dance actors
looping through gay,
improbable plots.

 

All my plates are put away,
cups hanging on hooks.
The towel is still moist.

 

I blow out cinnamon candles
wafting the air with spice.
Listening now to heat
sputtering and dogs
barking at winds.

 

Winter pummels skeletal
trees as the moon’s big
yellow eye haunts shadows.

 

Shhhhh…

 

There is a
witch living
on the corner
where the four
roads meet.

 

Her eye is
evil, her
nose crooked.

 

 

She lays down
the tarot
pattern
with wrinkled
hands.

 

 

Asks “do you wish
tea of wormwood
or henbane?”

 

 

She will enchant
your mind now
into fields of
wild roses.

 

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