Desmond Kon Zhicheng-Mingdé has recent or forthcoming work in Fence, FuseLit, Gone Lawn, Gulper Eel, Pure Francis, REM Magazine, and Wag’s Revue. Trained in publishing at Stanford, with a theology masters in world religions from Harvard and fine arts masters in creative writing from Notre Dame, he has edited more than 10 books and co-produced 3 audio books, several pro bono for non-profit organizations. A recipient of the Singapore Internationale Grant and Dr Hiew Siew Nam Academic Award, Desmond also works in clay, his commemorative pieces housed in museums and private collections in India, the Netherlands, the UK and the US.

Three Poems (November 20, 2010. Issue 22.)

a haiku is a frank stella rectangle

card game gone wrong, chairs
hands against cravat, eyebrows
a gasp, then thread words

wolfhound and atlas
by the table, labrador
poem, whistling clefs

a haiku is an overcome emotion

crane onsite, structure
on concrete the elder looks
out – trains, a slow creep

highway and changed minds
like the wearing, sackcloth rent –
places, names gridlocked

as with a haiku’s point reflection

other people
beyond classification

their tall rendition
a chilling wind or cool breeze

one songwriter –
notations to a father

boxed, ribbons, cornflower blue

one man’s search for a nocturne

in large orations
aeolian harp