Dear Flying Island Readers: Welcome to the 9.27 Edition of the Flying Island Journal! In this edition we publish poems by Laurel Smith , Charlotte Melin , and Megan Bell . Inspired to send us your fiction, poetry, or creative nonfiction? For more info on how to submit, see the tab above. Thank you for reading, Flying Island Editors and Readers
Every morning you woke before me ahead of the sun you brushed your hair and chose your clothes for work: the muted red sheath with matching sweater or a skirt with white blouse, stockings, loafers— your look more collegiate than school marm. You’d go downstairs and make coffee, toast, then set out lunch bags prepped the night before, our kitchen radio playing Top-40 tunes: Motown or John Denver drifting up to us as we took turns in the bathroom to start the day. Is that why mornings hurt now, why you push a button before dawn to call staff to your side? No easy songs to hum as the sky lightens. The red dress long gone. Laurel Smith lives in Vincennes, Indiana. She finds the best poetry by listening, especially listening outdoors. Smith’s poems have been featured in New Millenium Writings , Flying Island , Natural Bridge , Tipton Poetry Journal, JAMA, English Journal, and Mapping the Muse.