There won’t be another light scratched upon the forehead of a star. So walk today in kindness as though your eternity comes from a faraway soil sustained by the strangest in your midst. So listen as though madness is sense as if tomorrow swaddles in the belly of a teenager, her smoke rings the story...

To tear down As a neophyte, I kept my eyes fixed on the yoga instructor, attempting to reproduce in my body and breath what I was witnessing in hers. I wasn’t just following her instructions, I was imitating her (albeit poorly). She walked from student to student, correcting, aligning, and encouraging...

end of Beauty scorned world without filament unadorned sacred seething into holes anger nowhere women around tables laughter or children storming into rooms pretending or bread baking warmth or daffodils wild arranged or leaves beneath falling or music shambling the eaves family no thoughts of betterment bonding no...

They have come into it That state without a name Whose closest allies are Widows and orphans. Yet is only parents Who now are Without. They must learn the way To express how it feels. In ancient days they Tore their clothes and Poured ashes on their heads, Sharing what was Within. They have no recourse. Nothing...

I am a Martha with a stick up her sense of piety. Every day that my stomach boils regarding My naked fingers and impressions on paper, I tell myself that He has covered me With His wings. But I know that I’ve already plucked them bare And eaten them for dinner, Smothered with the same honey that I’ve...

Some middle-aged woman painted the room placed journals and pens, incense fumes, white candles, cassette tapes, every kind of crucifix, an old recliner that no longer fit her aesthetic. If only God were a door or a summer beach or a wise animal, a cottage we could enter, wiping our feet, smell of pomegranates,...

I love coming home to a clean house. I love when the clean dishes are put away, the floors are picked up and the counters wiped clean. To me all of these things mean accomplishment. It is something that can be measured. Tasks completed = success. This level of cleanliness started to change for me when...

In this column, we’ll discuss important current event topics with two Burnside writers who disagree on the issues. One leans left, the other right. Their faith is what helps them to meet in the middle. Usually. Emily: Alright, let’s talk about sex. James: I read your recent  HuffPo post and...

It may sound funny And quite preposterous. But every time I hear your name Even in a quiet thought. It’s like something divine comes over me. An unworldly experience. An enchanting journey Through a parallel universe Where I see you standing above all the rest. Your beauty and grace Spreading...

Editor’s note:  We normally run shorter pieces under our blog, but this story is so powerful we chose to feature it.  Written by Doug Worgul, this was originally posted on www.aliciabessette.com. Doug is the author of Thin Blue Smoke.   Levi is the coolest kid in the fifth grade. So my daughter,...