Gumball Poetry

a micro-journal of poetry, art, and experimentation

rot your teeth, not your mind

Summer 2024

In the machine: 21 unique poems, 2 experiments, 18 pieces of art


Poets

(click name for bio)

Eileen Pettycrew
Melissa Favara
Allisa Cherry
Matt Schumacher
Armin Tolentino
Kim Stafford
Scott Poole
Jennifer (JP) Perrine
Levin Schersvanaskitty
Emily Kendal Frey
Dan Hannon
Sarah Summerhill
Raymond Carver

Experiments

Message in a bottle
Riley I. Gelway

Artwork

(click name for bio)

Sylvie Parzybok
Featured poem:
The 13th Article of Faith
by Allisa Cherry
(originally published in Poetry South)

The bishop said think on these things
but we didn’t know if he meant
chastity or virtue, benevolence
or faith — all nouns that might be
used by a cosmetic company 
for different shades of lip gloss. 
We thought imagine 
only ever kissing one mouth 
for the rest of your life. He said

Follow the admonition of Paul
and we heard Bono
singing “40”— the Edge’s voice
entering high in the octave.
We wanted each subsequent year
to be a new mouth
opening toward us
filled with longing and praise.

The unfashionable tie
knotted at the bishop’s throat 
made us think of a tether.
How he’d lashed himself to his woman 
like a raft on a swollen river. 
His eyes did not brighten 
before the shine on our mouths.
He was steadfast. He belonged
in the company of ranchers.
He had one desire.
He meant to drive us
like cattle toward God.