Raintown Review

The Summer issue of the Raintown Review features a detail of my painting, Allegory of Lower Manhattan, Panel 1, on the cover. The image will be familiar to those who lift their eyes an inch. Inside is my sonnet “Niagara.” As is always the case, this issue is packed with really fine poetry and criticism from the metrical world. Lance Levens (check), Midge Goldberg (check), Paul Stevens (check), John Foy (check), Terese Coe (check). Check, check, and double Check the Raintown Review.

Here is:

Niagara

In Canada, the river opens up.
No fence obstructs the daybreak suicide
who comes hungover with his plastic cup
from the casino. He can roll and ride
a hundred yards—or ten, if he so chooses—
to that low-hung bank of thunder cloud
and simply disappear. The man who loses
wins in Canada! He checks out loud
and clear, his public and his private debt
obliterated. On the darkling lawn
and esplanade, he antes on a bet
and rallies with a hand out to the dawn,
a flailing number in the rolling score
past chain-link sparkling on the other shore.