The Mandarin, a poem by James Strauss

The Mandarin, a poem by James Strauss

MANDARIN By James Strauss Chinatown speaks if you pay close attention In the heart of an island filled with contention The haoles are white but black by nickname, Tourists included but locals fair game. An island of flowers and music idyllic, English that’s spoken...
Eruption at Mauna Loa, From The Wilderness

Eruption at Mauna Loa, From The Wilderness

ERUPTION AT MAUNA LOA Newsreel By James Strauss   There is quiet risk in geologic events, although such events are seldom able to be predicted ahead of time.  There was little warning around the world when the earthquake that occurred along the seafloor just off of...
The Duke, Part Thirty-Seven

The Duke, Part Thirty-Seven

THE DUKE Part XXXVII Darren stopped at the wall, waited a few seconds before leaping up, and then, once atop the wall, sat down on a projecting rock instead of jumping over the wire and down to the other side. He had to think the whole thing through, as best he could....
The Duke, Part Thirty-Six

The Duke, Part Thirty-Six

THE DUKE Part XXXVI Darren walked toward his home, wanting nothing more than a hot shower to remove the nearly ingrained aroma of cooked meat and shellfish following his shift at the Cannon Club. The waitresses had been stunned by the fifty dollar tip the Colonel...
The Duke, Part Thirty-Five

The Duke, Part Thirty-Five

THE DUKE Part XXXV In the short time that it took for the Duke to isolate and pull Star aside, and Judy and her sister were treated like they didn’t exist on the planet, Darren considered what had happened, and what had almost happened.  His mind ran at light speed,...