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The Stray Branch

A Literary Publication of Poetry, Fiction, Art & Photography

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  • About
    • Contact
    • Founder/Editor
    • The Stray Branch
  • Archived Features
    • Features FW 2014
      • Contributors
        • G. David Schwartz
        • Heather M. Browne
        • Jerry Nehr
        • Mark Burchard
        • Paul Beckman
        • Phaidra Mangriotis
        • Rick Hartwell
        • Susana H. Case
      • Fiction
        • A Good Wife by Angela Spires
        • Fiction
      • Flash Fiction
        • THINGS YOU NOTICE By Mark Hage
      • Poems
        • Anvil by Shinjini Bhattacharjee
        • demon du jour by Amy Lawson
        • For The Record by Scott Blackwell
        • Night by Joan McNerney
        • RUNNING DREAM by Mark J. Mitchell
        • THE GHOST IN THE MIRROR by Roger Cowin
        • The Life by Stephen D. Nadaud II
    • Features FW 2016
      • About the Cover FW-2016
      • Contributors
        • Allison Grayhurst
        • Bobby Travis
        • Glenn Tolle
        • John C. Kojak
        • K.D. Rose
        • Milenko Županović
      • Fiction
        • Ham and Eggs by Glenn Tolle
        • Jonas, on Time by Jason Campell
      • Flash Fiction
        • Night Of Acceptance by Denny E. Marshall
      • Poems
        • -Getting Out Of My Comfort Zone- by Gerard Caronna
        • “His Truth” by Stephanie Mojica
        • 45. by Margaret Mary Riley
        • An Observation by Alison Heninger
        • Being at the Whim of Words by Matthew Rodgers
        • Black Blouse by Peter Grimald
        • Black Sky by Aaron Wiley ~ Featured Poem
        • CONQUERED by Julie deGarie
        • STEALING FROM LIFE by Conrad Gurtatowski
        • The Lemon by Tammy T. Stone
        • THE SIBYL AT BREAKFAST by Mark J. Mitchell
        • THE THIN EDGE by John Zedolik
    • Features FW 2017
      • Contributors
        •  Michael Marrotti FW 2017
        • Adam Levon Brown FW 2017
        • Amber Tran FW 2017
        • Bertram Allan Mullin FW 2017
        • Daginne Aignend FW 2017
        • Daniel de Culla FW 2017
        • Jennifer Courtney FW 2017
        • Mark Burchard FW 2017
        • Martin Foroz FW 2017
        • Milenko Županović FW 2017
        • Richard Hartwell FW 2017
        • Sanjeev Sethi FW 2017
        • Vineet Pandey FW 2017
      • Fiction
        • The Gun by Cindy Knoebel
      • Flash Fiction
        • Like Trains That Pass by Elise Edmonds
      • Poems
        • “Ravens” by Raven Jade Cole
        • Biting It by JD DeHart
        • Coffeehouse Poem # 172 by Erren Geraud Kelly
        • False Expectations by Torie Cooper
        • I Push Her Wheelchair in the City of My Childhood by Marg Walker
        • In The End by Lynn White
        • no hope by Nathaniel Sverlow
        • Pain Passes by Tamsen Grace
        • Prepared For Loss by Sandra Bounds
        • regret by Lindsay Diem
        • The Daughter Dark by A. Marie Kaluzza
        • The Lucy-Ann by Andy Hubbard
        • TRAVELER by Mark J. Mitchell
        • Twilight by Wayne F. Burke
    • Features FW 2018
      • About the Cover
      • Artist/Artwork
        • Judy Sachs FW 2018
      • Contributors
        • Bekah Steimel ~ Poet
        • Brian Burmeister ~ Author
        • Dorothy Altstatt Burchard ~ Poet
        • Harjeet Singh ~ Poet
        • Jennifer Courtney ~ Author
        • Mark Burchard ~ Author/Photographer
        • Martha Strom ~ Poet
        • Matt Duggan ~ Poet
        • Milenko Županović ~ Poet
        • Sady Mayer ~ Poet
        • Savannah Slone ~ Poet/Author
        • Seth Jani ~ Poet
      • Fiction
        • Family Tree by Dan Klefstad
      • Flash
        • Take it Easy by Niles Reddick
      • Poems
        • AMPHIBIOUS HORSE by Lana Bella
        • I Edit my Life by Michael Lee Johnson
        • In moonlight so bright by Michael Plesset
        • RED SKY APOCALYPSE by Bradford Middleton
        • SEVEN AM WATERCOLOR by Mark J. Mitchell
        • SHARE YOURE SILHOUETTE WITH ME by Fin Sorrel
        • Temptaion by Peter MacQuarrie
        • Waters Still and Green by Melvin Litton
    • Features FW 2019
      • Contributors
        • Adam Levon Brown/Poet FW 2019
        • Alessio Zanelli~Poet/Artist FW 2019
        • Daniel de Culla~ Poet/Artist FW 2019
        • Featured Poems/Fiction
        • Irina Moga ~Poet/FW 2019
        • ISABELLE ~Artist FW 2019
        • Jeffrey Zable ~Poet/FW 2019
        • Martha Strom~Poet/FW 2019
        • Michael Morell ~Poet/Photographer FW 2019
        • Paul Beckman ~Author/FW 2019
        • Yuan Hongri ~Poet/FW 2019
      • Fiction
        • My Joyful Trance by Glenn Myers
      • Poems
        • Addicted, to Both of You by Betsy-Anne Hambar
        • Answers Questioned by James Kowalczyk
        • FAILURE by Marc Carver
        • First Son by Sue Crisp
        • FRIDAY NIGHT (I DREAM OF POETS) by Bradford Middleton
        • No hell for poets by Rajnish Mishra
        • Passenger by Fabrice B. Poussin
        • Peeking in the windows by Michael Plesset
        • The Pedestrian’s Rucksack by E. V. Wyler
    • Features FW 2020
      • Contributors
        • Ashli Lomeli ~ Poetry
        • Beate Sigriddaughter ~ Flash Fiction
        • Daniel de Culla ~ Art/Poetry
        • Doug Hawley ~ Fiction
        • Martha Strom ~ Art
        • Nick Sweeney ~ Fiction
      • Fiction
        • Female Architect by Douglas J. Ogurek
        • MONSTERS WE MEET by Eve Dobbins
      • Flash Fiction
        • Midnight Walk by Ann Christine Tabaka
      • Poems
        • Like Snakes on Asphalt and Harvest, 2 by Holly Day
        • Stepfather by John Franzen
        • The Abyss by Sandro D. Fossemò
        • Up To The Minute Mindset Virus by Bob Eager
        • Whispers and Smile, 2 by Brian Rihlmann
    • Features FW 2023
      • Contributors FW 2023
        •  Isabel Gómez de Diego 
        • Alessio Zanelli
        • Doug Hawley
        • Michael Lee Johnson
        • Paul Lonardo
        • Peter Witt
        • Robert Fleming
        • Shayna Bruce
      • Fiction FW 2023
        • TOENAILS & ZOMBIES by Eric BurbridgeTOENAILS & ZOMBIES
      • Flash Fiction FW 2023
        • An Encounter with a Wooden Person by Zach Docter
      • Poems FW 2023
        • Leftovers by Susie Gharib
        • MECHANIZED TO THE EMPTY SPACES by Robert Mayette
        • WARRIORS by Bonnie S. Bostrom
    • Features FW-2015
      • Artist/Poet
        • Rex Sexton
      • Contributors
        • Cristine A. Gruber
        • Dan Encarnacion
        • David Hutt
        • Inge Meldgaard
        • Liam C. Calhoun
        • Margie Fuston
        • Mark Burchard
        • Rick Hartwell
      • Fiction
        • The House by Jim Meirose
      • Flash
        • Fox-Curse by Steven Mace
      • Poems
        • – Chandelier – by Gerard Michael-Caronna
        • “The Flower” by James Mayes
        • April Winds by Michael Lee Johnson
        • ELEVENTH AVENUE ENCOUNTER by Stephen Barry
        • I Hear a Cricket Singing by A.J. Huffman
        • July 1964 by Pamela R. Anderson
        • my slumlord by Patrick Trotti
        • Still in Pocket by JD DeHart
        • THE DARK SIDE by George Amabile
        • The Loss by Donna M. Marbach
        • to his ex wife, Jan 1 by Janet Butler
    • Features SS 2015
      • Contributors
        • Bob Eager
        • Brittany Cagle
        • David Rutter
        • Jason Constantine Ford
        • John W Dennehy
        • Kaz Sussman
        • Liam C. Calhoun
        • Mark Burchard
        • Mark Wagstaff
        • Paul Beckman
        • Rick Hartwell
        • Robert Karaszi
      • Fiction
        • Grinning Man by Cody Brown
        • The Driver Drove by Ashley Medhurst
      • Poems
        • CLEANING HOUSE by Richard Schnap
        • Empty Crawling Night by Michael Britton
        • Exit Here by Connie Post
        • FURNITURE by Mark J. Mitchell
        • Heeding a Warning by Valentina Cano
        • Home by Pam Riley
        • Pollen by Austin Wallace
        • SUNDAY MORNING by Brenton Booth
        • The Nature of Clarity by Dana Curtis
        • THE RINSE CYCLE by Loretta Diane Walker
    • Features SS 2017
      • Contributors
        • Alisa Velaj
        • Barbara Gurney
        • Bob Eager
        • Daniel de Culla
        • Devin Gackle
        • Irsa Ruçi
        • Israfel Sivad
        • Ken Allan Dronsfield
        • Kim Sheldon
        • Liam C. Calhoun
        • Mark Burchard
        • Matthew Duggan
        • Mikel K
        • Milenko Županović
        • Nicole Melchionda
      • Features Spring/Summer 2017
      • Fiction
        • The Man In The Window by Elizabeth Ribar
        • Trophy Case by Brady Koch
      • Fiction/Flash
      • Flash Fiction
        • Terms of Departure by Merran Jones
        • The Great Wise Man By Denny E. Marshall
      • Poems
        • “Well shit” by Kyle Perdue
        • Bone Broth by Joan Mazza
        • Cardboard Coffin by Catherine Keller
        • Conceive by Gabriella M. Belfigilo
        • Feeding Foxes by Peter Grimaldi
        • Fortune Teller by Soodabeh Saeidnia
        • I Don’t Care by Henry Goldkamp
        • MAGPIES by Kevin McMahon
        • night the brutal skull by David McLean
        • rainbow by Naima Hirsch
        • Sadly, We Die by Michael Lee Johnson
        • THE MONKEY’S PAW by Ron Larson
        • The Reasons by Marc Livanos
        • WORDLESSNESS by Ann Blackburn
    • Features SS 2018
      • About The Cover
      • Contributors
        • Adam Levon Brown ~ Poet
        • Ann Randlette ~ Poet
        • Bijit Sinha ~ Author/Fiction
        • Cameron Mitchell ~ Author/Fiction
        • Daginne Aignend ~ Photography
        • Daniel de Culla ~ Poet/Artist
        • Deborah Wong ~ Featured Author/Fiction
        • Hongri Yuan ~ Poet
        • Ivis Westheimer ~ Poet/Photographer
        • James Croal Jackson ~ Poet
        • James G. Piatt ~ Poet
        • Ken Allan Dronsfield ~ Poet
        • Kenneth Nicholson ~ Artist
        • Martha Strom ~ Poet
        • Peter Baltensperger ~ Author/Flash Fiction
      • Fiction
        • His Silence by Lee Clark Zumpe
      • Flash Fiction
        • COMMUNION by Bob Zahniser
      • Poems
        • -No Flies In The Bughouse- by Gerard Caronna
        • ALMOST THERE by Conrad Gurtatowski
        • Colorblind by Joleen Grace
        • Foreclosure by Maribel C. Pagan
        • i will bury you in hurricanes by Linda M. Crate
        • IMPETUOUS COUSIN by Stefanie Bennett
        • In a princess chair by James Aitchison
        • Saturday Night in the E.R. by Shirley Valencia
        • The Only Decision by Witney Dupree
        • The Search by Sudha Srivatsan
      • Prose
        • Kwasi by Carolyn T. Johnson
      • Spring/Summer 2018 Featured Content
      • The Gathering
    • Features SS 2019
      • Contributors
        • Adam Levon Brown
        • Eduardo Escalante
        • Joseph K. Wells
        • Julianne Fern Basile
        • Kellay Briggs
        • Ken Allan Dronsfield
        • Linda M. Crate
        • Meenakshi Sharma
        • Mela Blust
        • Miguel Angel Caceres
        • Milenko Županović
        • Sravani singampalli
      • Featured Artist SS 2019
      • Fiction
        • AFLOAT By Eric Burbridge
      • Flash Fiction
        • Autumn Pain by Barbara Gurney
      • Poems
        • -The Cult Of Academia- by Gerard Caronna
        • “Credit Where It’s Due” by Adrian Slonaker
        • (Be)fitting by Sheikha A
        • A DREAM by Liz Hargrove
        • Driving Down by Patricia Santillan
        • HEAD by Marc Carver
        • I’ll not Forget by Carol Oberg
        • No Longer A Swinger by Michael Lee Johnson
        • Sittin’ in Hotel Lobbies. . .Thinkin’ by RAB
        • Six Months Sober by Christina Maria Kosch
      • Snap Fiction
        • Broken, Not Destroyed by Alexander Morgan
    • Features SS 2020
      • Featured Contributors
        • Gabrielle Schenkelberg
        • Gina Easton
        • Milenko Županović
        • Peter Taylor
        • Robert Beveridge
        • Tina Jordan
        • Wil Michael Wrenn
        • William Masters
      • Features SS 2020
        • Fiction
        • Flash Fiction
          • Post-Op by John Sheirer
        • Poems
          • And The Wheels Roll On by Ash Medhurst
          • Dread by Kimberly Prijatel
          • Fly Me To The Moon by Mir-Yashar Seyedbagheri
          • For Cyndi in Florida by Mitchel Montagna
          • Untitled by Susan Mahlburg
    • Features SS 2021
      • Contributors
        • Daniel de Culla
        • G David Schwartz
        • Grove Koger
        • Harjeet Singh
        • Isabelle
        • James G. Piatt
        • Ken Allan Dronsfield
        • Martha Strom
        • Michael Lee Johnson
        • Milenko Županović
        • Yasmin Hemmat
      • Fiction
        • The Crow Wars by William Falo
      • Poems
        • A night in a chariot by Partha Sarkar
        • My Dead Mother’s House by Mark Tulin
        • paper doll cutout by Lori Lasseter Hamilton
        • SUMMERS’ STORMY START by Bradford Middleton
        • the sudden drops and endless holes by Keith Wesley Combs
    • Features SS 2023
      • Fiction SS 2023
      • Flash Fiction SS 2023
      • Poems SS 2023
      • Prose SS 2023
      • Contributors SS 2023
        • Emalisa Rose
        • Isabelle
        • Michael Lee Johnson
        • Milenko Županović
        • RC deWinter
        • Richard D. Hartwell
        • Robert Funderburk
        • Torie Cooper
    • Features SS-2016
      • Contributors
        • Deborah Wong SS 2016
        • G. David Schwartz SS 2016
        • Mark Burchard SS 2016
        • Paul Beckman SS 2016
        • Priya Prithviraj SS 2016
        • Rick Hartwell SS 2016
        • Steve Simpson SS 2016
      • Fiction
        • A Vigil on Lucy’s Night by Rebecca Dempsey
        • THE ANGEL OF DREAD by Mark Slade
        • The Ghost of Roberto B by Jason Newport
      • Poems
        • A Relative Tells Me of His Sexual Abuse by Ron Riekki
        • Dirge by Rose Aiello Morales
        • HONEYMOON BY TRAIN by John Grey
        • if the other side even exists by J.J Campbell
        • IN YOUTH by Roger Singer
        • LEFTOVERS by Peter Krok
        • Menstruating In Nepal by Jennifer Martelli
        • My Ruin by Heath Brougher
        • NOTES ON SCRAPS OF SCREEN PAPYRUS by Strider Marcus Jones
        • ONCE by Joan Colby
        • Rheinische Kliniken by Brian Glaser
        • Tears in a Toilet Bowl by Kevin Mazzola
  • Current Issue
    • Contributor Copy FW-2025
    • Fall/Winter 2025
  • Galleries
    • Art Gallery
      • Amy Brereton FW 2019
      • Betsy Jennifer -Artwork -2017
      • Cynthia Yachtman SS 2025
      • Daniel de Culla SS 2017
      • Daniel de Culla SS 2021-2
      • Dave Dick FW 2018
      • Debbie Berk FW 2017
      • Debbie Berk FW 2020
      • Debbie Berk SS 2019
      • Debbie Berk SS 2020
      • Debbie Berk SS 2021
      • Debbie Berk SS 2022
      • Denny Marshall FW 2014
      • Denny Marshall FW 2019
      • Denny Marshall SS 2015
      • Denny Marshall SS 2017
      • Denny Marshall SS 2018
      • Edward Michael Supranowicz SS 2025
      • Janne Karlson SS 2014
      • John C. Kojak FW 2016
      • Kate Viola FW 2017
      • Lorretta Grimaldi FW 2016
      • Luis Cuauhtemoc Berriozabal FW 2023
      • Marcia Arrieta FW 2014
      • Martha Strom SS 2021
      • Michael Mau SS 2018
      • Niall Parkinson FW 2014
      • Rex Sexton FW 2013
      • Rex Sexton FW 2015
      • Rex Sexton SS 2012
      • Rex Sexton SS 2014
      • Richard Calaman FW 2017
      • Richard Calaman SS 2016
    • Photo Gallery
      • Angel Dionne SS 2025
      • Augusto De Luca SS 2019
      • Betsy Jennifer – Photography -FW-2017
      • Carl Scharwath FW 2020
      • Cristina Bresser de Campos FW 2019
      • Debbie Berk FW 2019
      • Debbie Berk FW 2020 ~ Photography
      • Debbie Berk SS 2015
      • Debbie Berk SS 2016
      • Debbie Berk SS 2017
      • Debbie Berk SS 2023
      • Devin Gackle SS 2017
      • Fabrice B. Poussin FW 2016
      • Fabrice B. Poussin FW 2020
      • Gwen Smith SS 2018
      • Harshal Desai FW 2018
      • Ian Mullins SS 2020
      • Ibrahim Deathray FW 2014
      • Isabel Gómez de Diego SS 2022
      • Isabelle SS 2021
        • Daniel de Culla SS 2021-Photography
      • J. Ray Paradiso FW 2018
      • Jim Zola SS 2018
      • Kyle Hemmings FW 2017
      • Kyle Hemmings FW-2015
      • Lester Majkowicz FW 2018
      • Lester Majkowicz FW 2023
      • Loretta Grimaldi FW 2019
      • Loretta Grimaldi FW 2021
      • Loretta Grimaldi FW 2023
      • Loretta Grimaldi SS 2018
      • Loretta Grimaldi SS 2020
      • Loretta Grimaldi SS 2021
      • Mark Burchard SS 2015
      • Mark Burchard SS 2016
      • Matthew Barron FW 2018
      • Michael Lee Johnson SS 2018
      • Michael Morell FW 2018
      • Michael Morell FW-2015
      • Paul Beckman FW -2014
      • Paul Lubaczewski SS 2017
      • Peter MacQuarrie FW 2016
      • Peter McQueary SS 2015
      • Rebecca Oet FW 2018
      • Rebecca Oet SS 2019
      • Renne Williams SS 2023
      • Shane Armstrong SS 2014
      • Shane Armstrong SS 2015
      • Shane Armstrong SS 2016
      • Shayna Bruce FW 2023
      • Torie Cooper SS 2019
      • Wayne Russell FW 2018
    • Slider Features
      • Jim Zola ~ Photography ~ SS 2018
      • The Gathering ~ A Poem by Debbie Berk SS 2018
  • Guidelines
    • Art & Photography
    • Fiction/Flash
    • Payment & Rights
    • Poetry
    • Reading Times
    • Submit
  • Previous Issues
    • #04 Fall/Winter 2009
    • #05 Spring/Summer 2010
    • #06 Fall/Winter 2010
    • #07 Spring/Summer 2011
    • #08 Fall/Winter 2011
    • #09 Spring/Summer 2012
    • #10 Fall/Winter 2012
    • #11 Spring/Summer 2013
    • #12 Fall/Winter 2013
    • #13 Spring/Summer 2014
    • #14 Fall/Winter 2014
    • #15 Spring/Summer 2015
    • #16 Fall/Winter 2015
    • #17 Spring/Summer 2016
    • #18 Fall/Winter 2016
    • #19 Spring/Summer 2017
    • #20 Fall/Winter 2017
    • #21 Spring/Summer 2018
    • #22 Fall/Winter 2018
    • #23 Spring/Summer 2019
    • #24 Fall/Winter 2019
    • #25 Spring/Summer 2020
    • #26 Fall/Winter 2020
    • #27 Spring/Summer 2021
    • #28 Fall/Winter 2021
    • #29 Spring/Summer 2022
    • #30 Fall/Winter 2022
    • #31 Vol 28 Spring/Summer 2023
    • #32 Fall/Winter 2023
    • Fall/Winter 2024
    • Spring/Summer 2025
  • Reviews
    • “A Tiara for the Twentieth Century” by Suzanne Richardson Harvey
    • A Dark Quill by S.B. Lacroix
    • Crafting Wings by Joseph Murphy
    • Dogs Don’t Send Flowers by Gary Beck
    • Elvis Presley’s Hips & Mick Jagger’s Lips by Susana H. Case
    • FAULT LINES by Gary Beck
    • Haunted Beauty by Tim Weldon
    • Prime Cuts by John Franklin & Tim Sulka
    • Prime Cuts by John Franklin & Tim Sulka Vol 2
    • Rude Awakenings by Gary Beck
    • Salem in Séance, Poems/Susana H. Case
    • Shards And Stanzas: 48 by Forty Eight by G. David Schwartz
    • Sonder by Catherine Keller
    • Surface Effects in Winter Wind by Tobi Cogswell
    • There Is No Lovely End By Patty Templeton
    • Twisted Velvet Chains By Jessica Bell
    • Wind in the Cave by James B. Nicola
    • Wolf Down by Anthony Liccione
    • Zero Division by Joseph M. Gant
  • Updates
    • Coming Soon-The Spring/Summer 2017 Issue
    • Fall/Winter 2016 Issue Now Available
    • In Memoriam ~ Dorothy Altstatt Burchard
    • Now Available……
    • Spring/Summer 2019 Features
    • Submissions Are Now Closed
    • Submissions Are Now Open
    • Updates: October 1, 2020

#04 Fall/Winter 2009

Fall/Winter 2009 #4 Vol 1

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Cover art by Amber Berk
Print Copy (also available on amazon.com)

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