Cities by Mark Ari

Art credit – Mark Ari

When Mark Ari unlocked his mother’s womb, he fell to soft vinyl where he lived under another name and the kitchen table. Women with round faces bent down to pinch his cheeks. Grandpa made Egyptian poses on the landing at the top of the stairs, nodding and winking and making a great show of brushing back invisible hair with his fingers.  Mother opened her mouth and sighed: ah-ah-ah-ah.

By the time the leaves on the trees were dry and beautiful—orange and cream and chocolate—he planted his feet, and the world got littler. He did not notice for a long while. Soon he could read French and Spanish but spoke only a stutter of English. So he made shapes with his lips that stenciled words on the air. This has made all the difference.

Mark Ari is a writer, musician, and visual artist, hailed as “a true original” by Kirkus Reviews. He edits EAT Poems, serves as Editorial Advisor to Fiction Fix, and is the author of the critically acclaimed novel, The Shoemaker’s Tale. Most recently, he has published work in Acoustic Guitar Magazine, Classical Guitar Magazine, Monarch Review, Poetry Quarterly, and Prick of the Spindle.

Ari has won a mess of awards and fellowships, been to some cool places and known some great folks. And still there’s tomorrow. His favorite color is Hooker’s Green Light. Strangely, he is not fond of his lawn at any time of the day, or butterbeans. These days, you can frequently spot him at the University of North Florida where, hat tipped forward over one eye, he sneaks in and out of his office at ungodly hours as quietly as boots allow.  www.arifiles.com

The author, by Katieanne Randolph.

“What the Angels Did To My Windshield” by Ari.

Self-portrait with Shave by Ari.

Mark Ari by Ben Wolfson.