Author Archives: sputterpub

Earth First (Part 3 of 3)

As the campfire alters its state, from curlicues of red-glowing coals to licks of blue and gold, Daphne alters hers from outgoing to in-turning. She becomes very quiet, and she begins to sense the pathways of her nerves, the connections … Continue reading

Posted in Fiction | Leave a comment

Earth First (Part 2 of 3)

“Teresa!” Daphne sang out. Of course they hadn’t heard her, but now she made noise. “Don’t call me Teresa. Please. Not Tracy or Terry, either. I implore.” She limped into the clearing and began to dress. “What’s the story? And … Continue reading

Posted in Fiction | Leave a comment

Earth First (Part 1 of 3)

Gail says. “This fire’s wonderful. I’m glad we’re here.” “I’m real glad we came away from the first campsite. Now that we know. For which we thank you,” Daphne bows toward Reese as she finishes. Gail seconds the gesture. Reese … Continue reading

Posted in Fiction | Leave a comment

Lunch with a Co-Worker

Your little face across from me is creased with pent emotion leaking, almost-tears of grudging tantrum, as you blurt the least exact elusive words (so it appears to me, who misses signs of hurt and tries dissecting syllables). I look … Continue reading

Posted in Poetry | Leave a comment

Intelligence Work

I wonder how society would look if every individual were smart, if all derived their knowledge from the book of life, devoting time to love and art, and each unique as marketing implies. Imagine hordes of heroes, brilliant kids, sagacious … Continue reading

Posted in Poetry | Leave a comment

Vacuum (3 of 3)

Now Ray’s in school again. It seems to Sharon that he may be slipping back into something like his Tet Offensive or R.O.T.C. weirdness with talk like today’s. It’s happening more and more. She wonders if she should call her … Continue reading

Posted in Fiction | Leave a comment

Vacuum (2 of 3)

“The revolution never stopped,” Ray speaks across her thoughts. “The media is us, the politicians are us; there isn’t a them out there to villainize any more.” Ray rises from the table, steps across the minute kitchen to his two-burner … Continue reading

Posted in Fiction | Leave a comment

Vacuum (1 of 3)

The catalyst for Ray’s epiphany is on page 70. “As a case in point,” wrote Peter Coyote in his autobiography, “consider Robert McNamara, sacrificing a generation of youth in Vietnam after concluding that the war was pointless, because he did … Continue reading

Posted in Fiction | Leave a comment

Contrast

I need a little ballast or I’ll float on air today, as light as lint in beams of angled sun, excited as a mote transformed to gold. I’m dancing to extremes inside, of agitated ecstasy and gentle melodies of waltzing … Continue reading

Posted in Poetry | Leave a comment

Berkeley 2/2/2000

A seam of spring infiltrates here, and now the princess and magnolia trees invest the light with purple pink and pearl, endow the eyes with bright horizon. Weather-blessed we move this morning in an atmosphere as clean as melting ice, … Continue reading

Posted in Poetry, Weather | Leave a comment