"Thornery" by Norman Ball The thorn is instrumental to the rose. Not mere impediment, but element. For surely we would sate or overdose or blooms would mantle without incident into a barbless clutch of pricked desire. Since hankering for beauty fans its flame and having is the act through which we tire, we reach and ouch and reach and ouch again. Despite rebuffs, undaunted we persist. The unpossessed, nine-tenths of beauty's law, enjoys the game and, playing, does resist by sprouting parapets of raking claws. The beckon borne of blossom blunts the pain of tiny teeth attending purple veins. About the Author
It was once observed that, as others breathe, so Norman Ball writes which is to say, with a croupy wheeze that would concern any competent physician. No matter. A quick google finds him recuperating on all manner of venues such as Raintown Review, Light Quarterly, Main Street Rag, Berkeley Poetry Review, Rattle and Sonnetto Poesia. His Youtube channel is 'desertrun' and his sonnet CD Return to One is available at CD Baby while supplies last (and they've lasted awhile.)
|
Bed of Roses Love Sonnet Contest Winner
Finalists
![]() |
Prairie Home on the Big Screen: Encore Presentation
If you missed Thursday's stellar A Prairie Home Companion Live in HD performance, there's still a chance to see it in theaters. An encore performance of A Prairie Home Companion from the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minnesota, will be beamed in high-definition exclusively to 500+ movie theaters across the U.S. and Canada. With special guests Elvis Costello, Robin and Linda Williams, Jearlyn & Jevetta Steele, and Heather Masse.

Minnesota author, illustrator, and cartoonist Chris Monroe inked a short comic strip with Garrison Keillor. The comic reveals a few tricks of GK's writing style... or does it?
Read the strip»
The Prairie Home cruise has become legendary on two of the Seven Seas and now is setting sail on a third, a weeklong spring break cruise of the western Caribbean along the Mexican coast, and it leaves March 14 from Tampa.
Stories of a Wobegon romance far from home, all delivered with Garrison Keillor's trademark humor.
Read the first chapter»Signed Copies Available»

It was once observed that, as others breathe, so Norman Ball writes which is to say, with a croupy wheeze that would concern any competent physician. No matter. A quick google finds him recuperating on all manner of venues such as Raintown Review, Light Quarterly, Main Street Rag, Berkeley Poetry Review, Rattle and Sonnetto Poesia. His Youtube channel is 'desertrun' and his sonnet CD Return to One is available at 