POETRY

INTIMA SPRING-SUMMER 2026

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Black Bile | Salem Harry-Hernandez

It’s not always possible to wash away failure, even when extreme efforts have been made to save a life.

Blue Raspberry | Lealani Mae Y. Acosta

All the joys of childhood and a child in distress come to pass in a surreal moment.

The Body | Mildred Galvez

Scrutinize the anatomy of a physique in transition for signs of what’s to come.

Breaking Bread | Gabriele Micozzi

What happens to hunger during grief? This lyrical poem works toward “situating mourning in the body's specific gestures rather than in abstraction.”

Closing Time I | Jamie L. Smith

Roles switch as a parent gets older, and strength gets passed to another generation.

Donning | Ethan Bell

Adjustment day: A young girl, a superhero limb, and a glimpse at a new set of human skills to be learned.

Haibun of Coyote and Hummingbird | Annie Tubman

A haibun is a Japanese literary form merging prose with haiku. Originating in the 17th century with master poet Matsuo Bashō, it pairs a prose narrative with a closing haiku.

I Closed His Eyes | Kirsten Myers

“I can picture it,” commented one editor about this poem that captures the truth of being there in a profoundly human moment and aware of the reactions of everyone in the room.

Nurse | Rosa Singer

If only every surgical procedure were a singalong! A prose poem that made us smile.

Three Notes | Gabriele Micozzi

Please listen in: Music awakens memories, in joyful outbursts and forgetful relapses.

Two Truths About Chemo | William Doan

“Clear… a word that should belong to water.” Supporting a loved one in treatment means living with contradictions.

Unstable Connection | Ethan Bell

The language of pain isn’t always easily translatable.

You're Here Again | Dennis Freire

Showing up every day takes effort and a willingness to open the door to whatever happens.