This Month
August
Welcome to Flask and Pen Literary Magazine. We accept submissions of short stories, poetry and essays. A submission may be on any topic of your choosing. In addition each month we select a monthly topic. Please check our submission guidelines prior to submitting.
The Monthly topic for August is Lucky Number.
The Project February 2008 is Complete!
The Second Flask and Pen Project is complete! Our next one will be starting soon. Link to our Projects atThe Project page. The Project is a collaborative effort amongst Flask & Pen contributors and readers. We thank all of our participants for their contributions.
September's topic will be Home. We are accepting submissions now at submissions@flaskandpen.com.
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Decisions, Decisions, Decisions
by Brett Staggs
I can sometimes see very clearly things that don't exist.
I can sometimes see things very clearly that don't exist.
Sometimes I can very clearly see things that don't exist.
Sometimes I can see things that don't exist very clearly.
god
by Carly Marks
god and i are pretty tight these days. yesterday i woke up cranky, and while i was brushing my teeth, i asked god for a smile. would you believe that a few hours later i was singing along to music in my car. the man driving next to me was peering at me through his window like i’m crazy. aren’t we all. anyway, god really hooked that one up.
before recently, i hadn’t talked to god for a long time, so i thought we totally lost touch. i tried to reach out a few times over the years, but god must have gotten a new number. i even left a message with the secretary once, but you know, she’s so aloof it probably never even transferred through.
luckily, god got a facebook, and then we were able to friend each other. god was tagged in some pretty ridiculous photos, and well, it was good to see that god was still at it. we started communicating via messaging; texts, e-mails of all sorts. the little letters on the pages continued to add up until we were all caught up, and then i finally remembered why i liked god so much in the first place.
Filed under Essays | Comment (0)The Wanted Woman
by Parkbench
Tonight, I am the motorcycle chick
That I saw from my car in the 24 hour Mexican restaurant drive-thru line.
I want the power in her hands that took the rope and tied down her pack.
I want to leave skid marks on my vintage purse and know where to buy a pack.
I want the power in her fingers and everywhere else
That captivated me from across the street.
Now, I am the animated chick with the short black hair and skirt.
I want to kiss someone.
I want to go to the animated bar.
And fuck an animated man.
He is superman with no diseases or baggage or sperm.
He will never call – ever!
.
I want to be the Chola chick that wears her hoops
With pride and sincerity.
And doesn’t look
As if she copied that hot
In-vogue model that’s highlighted, perfectly styled hair was
Entangled in huge ghetto-fabulous hoops
Under the summer’s favorites title
In silly, yet funky, font.
Now I am that nun driving that little car.
She may have known foolishness in her youth,
That same foolishness must have also met Grace
One day
And let the deity in.
Drove into Him, I suppose, as she
Drives to some church now.
But, truly, I am the woman sipping a cocktail.
Happily thinking of a new cock
In-between lying to the calling creditors.
Yes, in fact, I did dutifully take a message for myself.
I am out of potatoes and groceries and such, but I
Am not out of batteries.
Evolution Revolution
by Deborah Webb
Language appeared
A phrase is developed
The concept is recognized
Idea applies to Virgil’s salad ingredients
Next it becomes the motto of a country
This nation becomes strong and diverse
The Evolution ends.
The many become only ONE nation under one god
Expansion to other nations/peoples/species - halts.
Wars and intolerance continues and intensifies
More light is shed on the ‘many’ individuals while ‘the one’ life sits in darkness.
Time to revolt and initiate the new evolution: Unum E Pluribus!
Realize the ONE includes all – more than language, more than a phrase, more than a concept, more than a country…
Mysterious Dark matter is the Unum
A healing Plant in the rainforest is the Unum
Leaping frogs in the ponds are the Unum
A starving Child is the Unum
My sleeping Black Dog is the Unum
You are the Unum, and I am the Unum
We are all connected – those that can be seen and those that cannot.
This is where the E Pluribus Unum Evolution dies and the Unum E Pluribus Evolution is born…
if not, nothing will be left to evolve.
