Spring 2024 Contest
We at The River are excited to announce an upcoming Flash Fiction contest! Genre fiction is near and dear to us, and so we want to take this opportunity to … Continue Reading Spring 2024 Contest
Order 66: Carefully Timed Destruction
By Anna Heneise Dedicated, with all honor, to Julius Caesar. One aspect of Order 66 I find fascinating is the timing. If the only thing Darth Sidious wanted was to … Continue Reading Order 66: Carefully Timed Destruction
Bleeding Red: The Grand Army of the Republic and Humanization Through Violence, Part IV
By Anna Heneise As established in Part I, in The Clone Wars, the clones are characterized through the tension between their understanding of their purpose as soldiers and their growing … Continue Reading Bleeding Red: The Grand Army of the Republic and Humanization Through Violence, Part IV
Bleeding Red: The Grand Army of the Republic and Humanization Through Violence, Part III
By Anna Heneise Violence is one of those deeply human things we like to pretend is not human. Our capacity for violence is something to be restrained, to be feared, … Continue Reading Bleeding Red: The Grand Army of the Republic and Humanization Through Violence, Part III
“To Put the Gun Down”, “The God Poem”, “It Was Beautiful As It Was”, and “Pirate Ship”
By Madeira Miller To Put the Gun Down The psychology book states to me that sex is more than intercourse. Of course, I say. Any poet will … Continue Reading “To Put the Gun Down”, “The God Poem”, “It Was Beautiful As It Was”, and “Pirate Ship”
“A Name Foreign”
By Audrey T. Carroll A Name Foreign We’re talking about naming practices in families, how four of five generations of Heffers had a Thomas straight down the line, how … Continue Reading “A Name Foreign”
“vision board”, “the ghosts turned to flesh”, and “this body of water”
By Corbett Buchly vision board when did they first replace the processed snacks in the break room vending machine with poems one miniature scroll costs a dollar … Continue Reading “vision board”, “the ghosts turned to flesh”, and “this body of water”
“Fallen Catholic”
By Rina Palumbo Fallen Catholic I walked to the river’s edge when I was eleven years old. I can’t swim. So, on a late summer day when I was … Continue Reading “Fallen Catholic”
“Bath” and “On Paying a Lot of Attention to Death and Not a Lot of Attention to Life”
By Sylvia Foster Bath I lock the doorI shed a skinI see in layers—the door at the foot of the stairs,the front door,the bathroom door, me spinning but notluminous … Continue Reading “Bath” and “On Paying a Lot of Attention to Death and Not a Lot of Attention to Life”
“Flutter of Wings”, “The Shrine”, and “The Stopping”
By David Mampel Flutter of Wings Father’s Day chatter stops. A hummingbird hovers at the pond waterfall under a Japanese Maple. Not even mother crow softening bread … Continue Reading “Flutter of Wings”, “The Shrine”, and “The Stopping”
“some cracking, everywhere”, “particles”, “window out window in”, “a fistful of dollars”, and “endeavor”
By Livio Farallo some cracking, everywhere I. the ether unsolved, heavy, sits at my feet near licking paws as the car door slams on the side of my … Continue Reading “some cracking, everywhere”, “particles”, “window out window in”, “a fistful of dollars”, and “endeavor”
“The Barge of Empty Spirits” and “Whitman’s Meatloaf “
By James Lowell The Barge of Empty Spirits Long after the great war ended, an optimistic crew of recruits descended to padlock the island’s observation bunkers. Without an … Continue Reading “The Barge of Empty Spirits” and “Whitman’s Meatloaf “
“Negative”, “I Never Meta Poet I Didn’t Like”, “View from a Corner Table”, “Intimations”, and “For Those Who Pass in Their Sleep”
By Scott Waters Negative A ball of black floats in a bottomless sea of brightness sends out dark rays in 360 degree generosity and where they strike– fence … Continue Reading “Negative”, “I Never Meta Poet I Didn’t Like”, “View from a Corner Table”, “Intimations”, and “For Those Who Pass in Their Sleep”
“Damodar” and “Twilight on the Tungabhadra”
By Jhilam Chattaraj Damodar Out of the sky-window I see sand ribbons — narrow and dry, holding the lush green hair of paddy fields — … Continue Reading “Damodar” and “Twilight on the Tungabhadra”
“Going shopping”, “In the heat of the moment”, and “Freebies”
By Solape Adetutu Adeyemi Going shopping My shopping basket under my arm I go shopping again Second time in a row They said she must be quiet and … Continue Reading “Going shopping”, “In the heat of the moment”, and “Freebies”
“Seed Potatoes”
By Jennifer M. Phillips Seed Potatoes In my lean days I picture the seed potatoes rotating in my Grandad’s work-seamed fingers the point of his knife deft … Continue Reading “Seed Potatoes”