by Kenny Mitchell VOICEMAIL POEMS · "When You Don't Feel Like Yourself" by Kenny Mitchell Double-check you have not morphed into wax.Are the appendages protruding from the trunkof your body still soft skin, or have you hardenedyour armor like they taught you in eighth gradewhen a car flattened your cat at your Christmas party?You cried.Continue reading “When You Don’t Feel Like Yourself”
Author Archives: voicemailpoems
WHEN THE BLUES COME (ALWAYS GO FOR THE CATS)
by David J. Schast VOICEMAIL POEMS · "WHEN THE BLUES COME (ALWAYS GO FOR THE CATS)" by David J. Schast When the blues find where I’ve been hiding,They pile on like puppies—so damn excited to see me. These days, I’m into cats, brother.You know, maybe one will rub up against me,once in awhile, or meowContinue reading “WHEN THE BLUES COME (ALWAYS GO FOR THE CATS)”
Uncle Loser the Knight of Swords
by RJ Equality Ingram VOICEMAIL POEMS · "Uncle Loser The Knight of Swords" by RJ Equality Ingram RJ Equality Ingram works as a bookseller & necromancer for Goodwill Industries of the Columbia Willamette. Their debut collection of poetry The Autobiography of Nancy Drew was published by White Stag in 2024. RJ holds a BFA in creative writingContinue reading “Uncle Loser the Knight of Swords”
The Laughing Cinder Block
by Marlanda Dekine VOICEMAIL POEMS · "The Laughing Cinder Block" by Marlanda Dekine They call one bulldagger.I heard them say she spreads women’s legs that’s all she does, but I know her. She buildsentire worlds where their mouths cannot go, their eyes cannot perceive.What they wonder is who she fucks and how they are goingContinue reading “The Laughing Cinder Block”
The First Time a Man Fucked Me Like a Man
by Mary Violet VOICEMAIL POEMS · "The First Time a Man Fucked me Like a Man" by Mary Violet I want to be: a good boy, your domesticated coyote. My tongue’s handwriting is the shape of your bodyunshaved and without a shower. They need us to feel disgustedwith ourselves, so you commit to my appetiteContinue reading “The First Time a Man Fucked Me Like a Man”
Tabitha
by Meghan Malachi VOICEMAIL POEMS · "Tabitha" by Meghan Malachi I’m on the floor again, and that isn’t a metaphor for rock bottom. My new therapist asked me how I did it. How I managed to keep myself safe all these years. For the first time in over a decade, I was honest: I don’tContinue reading “Tabitha”
Survivor Audition Video #3
by Isaiah Newman VOICEMAIL POEMS · "Survivor Audition Video #3" by Isaiah Newman We open with a stationary shot of me in my office, a pride flag on the wall behind me. An offscreen bonfire flickers in my eyes, and the savvy viewer will read this as a symbol of both passion and hunger, andContinue reading “Survivor Audition Video #3”
Psychography
by Birch Wiley VOICEMAIL POEMS · "Psychography" by Birch Wiley In August it’s hard not to want –everything heavy with it – ginkgo fruitrots on sidewalks, sweat falls down spines,the whole beast city breathes in smog and breathes outlow clouds dropping lightning. Confused,a little, reading subway signsfor revelation, it all comes up wonder – whichContinue reading “Psychography”
Monter Drive
by Colette Love Hilliard VOICEMAIL POEMS · "Monter Drive" by Colette Love Hilliard We learned to love the birds.The backyard birdwith her black cap and white cheeks.The flicker so flirtyin his polka dot dress and red scarf.The bus-stop-birdwho mocked us each morningwith a mixtape of songsby someone else. We learned to love the bones.The mismatchedContinue reading “Monter Drive”
Lamb’s Ear and Lavender
by Tonee Mae Moll VOICEMAIL POEMS · "Lamb's Ear and Lavender" by Tonee Mae Moll We failed, you & I, to care for plants we potted at the start of summer—lamb’s ear & lavender, one for each pocket. You told me you loved to stroke the soft fur of the hedgenettle & the smell ofContinue reading “Lamb’s Ear and Lavender”