Creative Nonfiction - Fall 2017

(Frankie) #1
WilliamReagan The cook opines on politics
as she preps the kitchen. Bartender nods,
says nothing, a choir of one who's heard
this sermon before.
19 Jul 17

AngeleOutWest "The middle of nowhere is
actually somewhere, you know." - Callum,
my almost 8-year-old son.
10 Jul 17

gregrmarshall My mom, bald from chemo
for much of her adult life, loves the smell
of hairspray. "It reminds me of health,"
she says.
1 Aug 17

ConnieKuhns My magazine subscription
says "TIME IS RUNNING OUT." I couldn't
have said it better.
20 Jun 17

victoriastopp Otis lowers his graying
snout to sniff a leaf. I tell him we're
okay, then wonder if parents lie to their
kids like I lie to him.
6 Juk 17

ChrisGNguyen Helping clear out a friend's
mom's home. Neighbours stream through,
curious about her decor. Where were they
when she was alive?
22 Jul 17

shuniahwriter Typical statement this
rainy summer: "You can use either
lawnmower. It's too wet for that old one
to catch on fire."
23 Jul 17

onlydavesmith 14 days vacation abroad.
Two sons. 1000 rapid fire questions.
One answer. "I don't know. I've never
been here before."
22 Jul 17

drcoopie I take my daily walk. My brother
died last week; our cat, yesterday. Empty
of head and heart, I plod on. I take my
daily walk.
17 Jul 17

KtchnSnc It doesn't matter how I say it.
You hear what you think I mean.
20 Jun 17

miranda_write After the funeral, I chat
with extended family. "We should do this
under happier circumstances!" Instead
we wait for the next one.
9 Aug 17

karengreeners Soft & gentle, the song
was like a lullaby for waking up instead
of falling asleep, & I wondered why we
didn’t have more of those.
15 Jul 17

kg_waite I walk to the market for free-
range chicken, organic, of course. It
comes in neat packets, shrink-wrapped
in plastic.
22 Jul 17

k_stevenson01 My dad used to sit in
his ratty armchair, blaring the Weather
Channel all day. Still not sure why, since
he never left the house.
21 Jul 17

satisfiedsarah One's labeled the family
scapegoat; the other, mascot. Only 14
months between them, like twins. But
they're never loved the same.
16 Jul 17

sevans_writer I read a list of kid jokes
aloud, wincing at their bad puns, but my
son laughs hard at each and suddenly I
find them funny, too.
3 Jul 17

Set_LS Every ding from my phone is
torture, sending false hope through my
broken heart. It is you? It never is, and
never will be again.
1 Aug 17

SusanRogers6 My son texts that another
friend took his own life. "Don't worry
about me." If only I could cradle him in
my arms forever.
3 Aug 17

sweetjesilu I find myself drawn to music
of the before: before I was 20, before
9/11, before my bones creaked, before
my hair went gray.
30 Jun 17

TheSnatchzilla He leaned on the counter
with the cashier saying, "Folks like us
gotta work today. Ain't no independence
for the poor."
4 Jul 17

ksmadrone Quicker than a breath her
tiny body tumbled off the riser. Time's
ticks turned slow, but still l was not fast
enough to catch her.
3 Jul 17

lisarini11 If, kneeling in the field, you
find that you are crying, never mind. Stuff
a warm berry in your mouth. It will pass.
27 Jul 17

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