Sad news—Leo Love died this fall. I'd like to dedicate the Winter 2004 issue to him. -Ed.

Dedicated to the memory of Leo Love

In This Issue

Poetry

I tracked a path along my third rail.
There was no sky to burden my shoulders.
No black children laughing at my pigeon dance.

Just the El
moving along my spine.

Fiction

He hugged too tightly too long. Like the one in his kitchen when he had left the stove on underneath the coffee pot. I had hurried around, turning on the exhaust fan to suck out the scorch smell, setting the pot to soak in vinegar and lemon. As he had murmured words of thanks, his arms had squeezed too tightly too long.

Creative Nonfiction

There are also those confreres who give you shots to the gut. Like the bud I asked to recommend me who took the job himself.

And a friend of nearly 20 years who calls to tell me he is hiring a telecom attorney. He invites me to apply. A month later, he leaves me a message that he has given the job, which pays about half my former wage, to someone better qualified. His company sends me a nice letter.

Book Reviews

The novel continues through the Iran-Contra hearings that made a television hero of Oliver North. Evelyn describes that summer, "We have renamed one of the cats Ollie, because he is on the television all the time too..."

The heroes of the book are teachers who open minds and give hope...

Contributors

Michelle McGrane is a free-spirit currently living and writing in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Her debut poetry collection Fireflies & Blazing Stars was runner up for the South African Writers' Circle 2003 Quill Award for the best book published in any category.