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My Nevada, by Michael DuBon Michael DuBon_My NevadaDownload Michael DuBon is a first-generation US citizen of Guatemalan descent. His poetry has appeared in Rising Phoenix Review and others, and his essays have appeared in The Plentitudes and Heartwood. At his most natural, he is laughing and smiling like no one is watching—because he’s usually by … Continue reading Americana Stories—Poetry

American Gothic—Talia Pinzari Painted by Grant Wood in 1930, American Gothic is featured in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. It depicts a farmer standing beside his daughter—often assumed,mistakenly, to be his wife.   He’s your midwestern father, a handyman with a head bald as the knee he took to spread mulch this morning and a … Continue reading Americana Stories—Poetry

Two Poems by Michael Hettich Listen to Song, here Listen to The Field here. Song I was living that year in another sort of body, when she came down the stairs singing a song I hadn’t heard before but somehow recognized, so I tried to sing along. She stood there before me as the crows … Continue reading Americana Stories—Poetry

Learning the "Green Light" from My Son, by Robert Fillman Listen here: Up by seven runs, 3-0 count,and Fernando Tatis Jr.pretends he doesn't see the signto take, decides to swing away,loops one to the opposite fieldthat just clears the fence, a grand slam. But he's met with jeers from teammates,public scolding from his skipper,opposing manager … Continue reading Americana Stories—Poetry

Knocked Down But Not Out: Plaster, Drywall, and American DIY, by Michael Ward Planning a child’s nursery is like planning a funeral. Rarely is either undertaken with the express wishes of its guest of honor. The baby is unable to offer its opinion on which paint colors—for example, white gallery, Greek villa, or snowball—better captures … Continue reading Americana Stories—Nonfiction

Emergency Exit Only, by Lenny DellaRocca Listen here: Androgynous and mute the saint points to the door.What strikes me is the color.It changes. And it’s luminous.The room is coming apartat the walls though no onenotices. They’re on theirmachines working outso that they look goodwhen they die. I’m notgood with saints, tell me,whoever you are,have we … Continue reading Americana Stories—Poetry

Scenic Railway, Rockaway Playland, by Ellen Devlin Listen to the poem here: July threw a blue-white vapor of heatbetween me and a clattering behemothon Beach & 98th Street. Held up by wooden slats, sturdy as cathedralribs—Playland, lettered on its curved face like  a bully’s smile.  Six tickets handed to a boy holding a rope lifted from a … Continue reading Americana Stories—Poetry

Wearable Americana, by Jim Ross Listen to the essay here:    photograph courtesy of the author Prior generations didn’t throw things away if they could be patched up or repurposed. As a pre-teen, Dad took me to buy a pair of black leather shoes, which I (i.e., he) had resoled and reheeled seven times. When Mom … Continue reading Americana Stories—Nonfiction

Dusk at the Codependence Inn, by Jessica Abughattas I feel a sense of betrayal, for it should be you inside myknowing, and they left outside, tied on the porch.Early evening, flecked raspberry. Light muddledmountain. Your speech mushrooms like a wick.I wait inside the minutes until it finishes. What lightremains clicks deeper in swatches as I … Continue reading Americana Stories—Poetry