And there were pools among the rocks

by the sea, deep pools, dark blue,

that would never dry

in the sunlight, I had climbed

to the cliff top and now stood

among them, craters filled as if by surprise

to the brim.

Click here to read the rest.  Click here to read more about Davide.

These things always seem to take longer than anticipated. A word on the process: Our pet chimp Dimba solicits short stories, poems, and artwork from his cage at the company fortress in Montclair, California.  Accepted pieces are then shipped through a series of tubes to his brother’s underground log cabin in Montpelier, Vermont. His brother uses scotch tape and elbow grease in his spare time to assemble the various and sundry pieces into something marginally acceptable for mass digestion. Sometimes an ocean liner is hired to ship material to the chimp’s cousin, who lives in a big wooden shoe in Norway and has more and better digital skills.

The first two issues of this publication were profoundly and embarrassingly amateur hour (still, my favorite bit out of everything we’ve done is the first poem from the first issue). With Vol 1, Issue 3 we started working thematically with varying levels of success. E.g., Vol. 1 Iss. 3 featured birds and trees…um…for no particular reason. Volume 2 Issue 1 was broken up by the 4 seasons and had a cool cover. Volume 2 Issue 2 had a victorian theme, complete with fake ads that i think turned out pretty good.

Since Vol. 2 Iss. 2 took a bit of effort we tried to do something simpler with this one: i had always liked the title of the Nine Inch Nails song “The Line Begins to Blur”. what if we used kind of a Mondrian / straight lines theme that gradually became more blurred, curved, etc? It had a certain kind of symbolism and resemblance to daily experiences. Easy!

4 months later the current issue is on your screen.  I think we basically executed this concept, with Sean Wiebe’s last lines of the first half “…a new thought that has been slow in coming” leading to Jeff’s two explosive centerpieces and subsequently more abstract, natural images. This one might have been labored to death, but see what you think.

So, for next time, how about some suggestions for themes? Also- the next batch should plan on submitting their bios in 6 words or less.

Also, for best viewing: download and save, then view as “Two-up Continuous”.

Petty people with petty problems have all but crowded my petty life.

I’ve held my scorn like a bouquet of roses

Red with rage;

I’ve stood there and smiled

While patiently waiting for the return of common sense.

Before I thought my own thoughts

They were fed to me

By an angry hand with a jagged spoon.

I’ve closed my eyes & smelled the scent of life;

Which always reminds me of the stench of death,

Tulips in the spring.

Why do all roads lead to Rome?

Is there no better place to go?

We’ve also got a Christmas story by Michael Pitassi, Baptism By Ice Water: A Christmas Tale.

And, two poems in a series by Katie Friedman, First Date and Physical Love.

Initially when I wrote this poem I didn’t have anything specific in mind.  Now I guess it can apply pretty well to the Great Deprecession of 2008 – 200?.  The only things missing are cardboard and corrogated iron Bush- and Cheneyvilles.  When will it end?  Nobody knows.  And for the record, I coined two new words in this blog post alone!  

Happy Winter!

Thank you so much for including my story in your fine review.  I am honored to be included in it.  The typesetting and graphics look great.  Keep up the good work. . . .  I believe in what you’re doing, so keep doing it.  Therefore, here is a small contributions towards the next issue.  Best of luck in your literary efforts.

Sincerely,
Joseph Grant

To contribute to Faraway and help keep this independent journal alive, please click here.

And remember, we are currently serializing the novella Doing the Dead – 1983.  We just published the first chapter, with the second chapter to follow on the 13th.