Ron Torrence published his first short story at age 50 and his first poem at age 80. Even so his fiction, non fiction and poetry is pretty widely published. He’s also written five novels and a screen play, all unpublished. Much more to do. His work has appeared in American Writer’s Review, Crack The Spine, The Dirty Goat, Dos Passos Review, Existere Journal, Forge, The MacGuffin, Menda City Review, Nassau Review, riverSedge, Orange Willow Review, Slipstream, Eureka Literary Magazine, Oxalis, Ash, Potent Aphrodisiac, Rockhurst Review, The Tower Journal, Thereby Hangs A Tale, Typo, Sour Grapes, Circuit Traces, RE:AL, Reflections Literary Journal, way station magazine, West Wind Review, Wild Violet, Yellow Mama and Pleasant Living.

Phantoms in my Brain

i
wanted
to be
your son
 
you
didn’t want
 to be
my mother
 
you wanted dancing 
all night
every night
 
stealing time
from war
raging
far away
 
 
where father was
 
 
i
cried out
to unseen voices
 
i
listened
to empty hallways
 
i
fell asleep
to my own
songs

The Son Also Rises

never
do that
you say
 
always
do this
you say
 
i
drive nails
into my teeth
 
i
masticate
my heart
 
i
regurgitate
my soul
 
at last
 
i say
 
i
 
will be
 
who
 
i am

Long Ago

 a breeze
touches
leaves
rustling
rustling
                                                                        birds
the sun
touches
flowers
opening
opening
                                                                        sing
water
touches
sand
whispering
whispering
                                                                        sing
i
nestle
my head
to the pillow
 
tucking memories
 
to safety
 
of
 
sleep