In Praise of a Cat

— for Brother Ron Fender No tailor’s artistrycould equal the eleganceof my cat’s stripesas he walks into the bathroomwhere I’m taking a shit. Purring, he rubsagainst my legs.He accepts me on anyterms, comes closehowever I smell,loves me without illusion. He makes me ashamedof my own cowardice,of the times I have flinched,repulsed by the stenchof human […]

Spider Bite

a kissso patientstill in themoutha seedcrouching stinglessbuzzingcoveredwith pinkand emeraldbeadwork George Cassidy Payne is a poet from Rochester, NY. His work has been included in such publications as the Hazmat Review, Moria Poetry Journal, Chronogram Journal, Ampersand Literary Review, The Angle at St. John Fisher College, and 3:16 Journal. George’s blogs, essays and letters have appeared in USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, The Atlantic, Havana Times, South China […]