Poem by Kushal Poddar

Room of Light

A room cleansed,
light parted
to give some access
to the pink curtains.
I inhale the bed.
Exhale it back to
the place it belongs.
The books. The peeping
heads of the bookmarks
hand made, brief sketches
on their chests. A note
scurries leeward
down the floor. You can
kill its progress, throw
it into the bin,
but afraid that’ll ruin
the room, the moment.

Born in a warm corner of India, Kushal Poddar is widely published in several countries. His work has been accepted in prestigious anthologies includingMen In The Company of Women A poet featured in various Canadian and American radio programs, he has collaborated with photographers for an exhibition at Venice as well as performers for several audio publications. He is presently living at Kolkata and writing poetry, fictions and sketching for an art-poem book. He authored, The Circus Came To My Island (Spare Change Press, Ohio) and A Place For Your Ghost AnimalsHerding My Thoughts To The Slaughterhouse.

Stacy Esch lives and works in West Chester, Pennsylvania, teaching English at West Chester University. Digital art and photography are the twin passions that compete alongside her interest in writing, reading, songwriting, and gardening. She has previously published works in Ibbetson Street, Turkshead Review and wordriver literary review. She has produced cover art for chapbooks by Kenneth Pobo (Save My Place and Placemats) and her artwork is featured at Spruce Alley Press, where she published a colorful 2014 Calendar as well as distinctive illustrations for the chapbook, When The Light Turns Green.