Number 7, November 1998 IN THIS ISSUE... Lazarus, May by Jon Soverow Verb 'To Kill' trans. Ana Berlin Persian Heiress to Wed 800-lb. Gorilla by Sara Aliabadi Susan by Mike Sherry Eglise St. Jean de Malte by Jenny Yue All the Better by Nick Salvato

PERSIAN HEIRESS TO WED 800-LB. GORILLA Congratulating me, their twisted leers ensnare my heart, their rumbling voices echo in my bones "why him and not us how horrible freak abnormal" and you are, too. Am I responsible for the frigid smog seeping through spider cracks in the thick of winter? Is he to blame for Stalin’s purges, for distended bellies? Tell me, whose wars claimed divine inspiration? It's his inner affinity towards the good in man-- devoid of constraints, bias, belonging-- that frees me to declare, "I Do." To ignore life is a more tragic crime Than to drop a fork. This he knows. If you had known, I would've married you, and borne your hurts and reinforced your fears— even the ones you never knew were universal. I would have judged you every moment, and you would have been worthy of my judgment, If you had known. All the kabobs and silk carpets and kittens and heritage are just drops in a thunderstorm. What will count are the glances met, the chuckles shared, the tears halved, and our hunts for integrity. --Sara Aliabadi