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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 2024
    • Fall/Winter 2024 – Coming Soon
  • Galleries
    • Art Gallery
      • Amy Brereton FW 2019
      • Betsy Jennifer -Artwork -2017
      • 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
      • 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
      • 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
  • 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
    • Coming Soon……
    • Fall/Winter 2016 Issue Now Available
    • In Memoriam ~ Dorothy Altstatt Burchard
    • Spring/Summer 2019 Features
    • Submissions Are Now Closed
    • Submissions Are Now Open
    • Updates: October 1, 2020

#32 Fall/Winter 2023

Now Available

Cover art by Sandro D. Fossemò

ISBN: 9798864990674

Available on Amazon

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Galleries SS 2024

Loretta Grimaldi SS 2024
2023 poem FIREPLACE DSC_2420 (1)
« ‹ of 9 › »

Loretta Grimaldi is an artist and photographer whose work has appeared in The Stray Branch and various charity organizations.

Binod Dawadi SS 2024
thumbnail (1) copy
« ‹ of 4 › »

Binod Dawadi, the author of The Power of Words, is a master’s degree holder in Major English. He has worked on
more than 1000 anthologies published in various renowned magazines. His vision is to change society through
knowledge, so he wants to provide enlightenment to the people through his writing skills.

Debbie Berk SS 2024
Screenshot
« ‹ of 4 › »

www.debbieberk.com

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