Current Issue

Letter From the Poetry Editor

Philadelphia Stories happily announces that the poem, “greens” by Edythe Rodriguez was selected as the winning poem in this year’s Sandy Crimmins National Prize in Poetry.

greens

golden shovel after Clifton’s “cutting greens”

The Madonna of the Rabbit

The baby bunny’s back again, chewing grass with ears turning and turning.

Abecedarian for Pinyin

Ah is the first and easiest sound for a child to make,

Rich Friend

Hello sounded like a new language from her mouth. Intergalactic sparkle of passionfruit lip gloss.

You can’t say ‘Oriental’

because it’s offensive.

Her Too

This, which is and is not for my mother.

How to Act

Pretend you are waiting for a bus. It is best to practice this while waiting for the bus.      

There are Horses in North Philadelphia! There are Figs in My Stomach!

It is Sunday, a real full moon. We are at an outdoor drag show at Pentridge Station.

Fiona Rice Does Not Talk to the Rabbits

The last time I wrote to you the blueberries were here, and Mom was showing me how to cut a tomato for the kill.

Eucalyptus – ONLINE BONUS

In 1879 Presidente Garcia Moreno brought silver dollar eucalyptus trees from Australia

Ars Poetica Caught in Eternal Recurrence – ONLINE BONUS

You use the gas burner to set dreams on fire while stirring beans.

In the Wake of Heat – ONLINE BONUS

The summer keeps on swallowing, My loved ones, Whole and crushing, Their bones.

The Night Diana Died – ONLINE BONUS

Was sticky in the streets & I wanted to linger in the theater with the girls on the screen:

The Simple Truth

Nature’s assorted players stir themselves into motion, from the lowly insects to the elusive reptiles to the lofty mammals.

Life Edge

Four maple shelves sit on black metal brackets along a wall in the kitchen of my family’s Fairmount home,

Concealing Home – ONLINE BONUS

It will happen slowly.

Some Stuff Ain’t for Sale

Year 2. For the last two years, we have lived and witnessed a level of community that we believe is worth a testimony.

REVIEW: Present Imperfect by Ona Gritz

As grammarians know, the “present perfect” verb form is used for actions that began in the past and continue into the present moment or those that occurred at an indefinite time.