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Poet bio Danielle Stricklin has been writing poetry since the fifth grade, when her teacher praised her use of metaphor in a creative writing assignment describing the word “greed.” She studied poetry, literature, and gender politics at the University of Montana and currently lives in Eugene, Oregon, writing, running, and caring for her family and

Original Face by Michael Selker When our friend turned sixty she wanted a new life, wanted to tuck up and tighten, wanted to get rid of those lines When people and things fell apart in her life and her car made a funny noise in neutral, she took control and hired a plastic surgeon. Now

My Selfie Poem by Cynthia Jacobi I have middle aged children I wonder at their infant survival under my care       and wish I could do it over My thoughts skip and pause       as might a yellow pencil       put to lined paper I remember a collage of shoes       lost front teeth      

1st Honorable Mention: “Barbizon Nightgowns” by Sandra Rokoff-Lizut, McMinnville, OR 2nd Honorable Mention: “Do Not Be Afraid” by Michael Hanner, Eugene, OR 3rd Honorable Mention: “Death’s Usher” by Jessica Mehta, Hillsboro, OR Judge’s comments There were so many great poems in the selection for Poet’s Choice that it made deciding difficult. When reading I was

You Never Can Replace a Dog You Love —for Dougal by David Hedges You never can replace a dog you love, It doesn’t matter, purebred, mongrel, stray, Who fits your disposition hand-in-glove. You find your mind is part and parcel of The one who teaches you to skip and play. You never can replace a

To the Moon after the Blood Red Moon by Amy Baskin         “You are a body of blood made beautiful.” —Anne Sexton Still, I see you, cold and barren, tucked behind a cloud that even now is leaving you alone. The fickle skies move quickly. We jerk our heads, crane our necks at the next

Here a Small Rain by Nancy Christopherson Joy requires a lot of hard work—we must be willing to stand near the fence, as horses do. Stand there and say love, not with our mouths, with our full bodies— heavy manes and tails—and not bite. Otherwise—what, the battles rage on. So tired of that. Here now