Grandma Mary’s Mirror Ann Thornfield-Long

Narrated by Ann Thornfield-Long

Grandma Mary’s Mirror Ann Thornfield-Long — Illustration by Sue Babcock (mirror photo provided by Ann Thornfield Long. This is her Grandma Mary’s mirror)

Mary’s heavy-beveled mirror hoarded the corner
of the dining room where Inmans gathered on the farm
the family came from miles around to mourn her
she died from a spider bite on her arm.

In the dining room where Inmans gathered on the farm
at Grandma Mary’s house with her vintage things
she died from a spider bite on her arm
for three days she looked in the mirror at the vicious sting.

At Grandma Mary’s house with her vintage things,
a hundred year-old mirror and etched oil lamp
for days she stared at the red and vicious sting
the bite grew larger than a postage stamp.

Mary had a hundred year-old mirror and etched glass lamp
the family came from miles around to mourn her
the spider bite grew larger than a postage stamp.
Mary’s heavy-beveled mirror webbed the corner.

BIO: Ann Thornfield-Long, a co-author of Tennessee Women of Vision and Courage, (Crawford and Smiley, 2013), has published poetry in Artemis Journal, Silver Blade, The Tennessee Magazine, American Diversity Report, Liquid Imagination, Riddled with Arrows, Abyss and Apex, Wordgathering and anthologies. Winner of the Patricia Boatner Fiction Award (Tennessee Mountain Writers, 2017) for her unpublished novel excerpt was awarded a Weymuth residency (2017) and has received Rhysling, Pushcart and Best of the Net nominations.

Issue 52 is the ultimate issue of Liquid Imagination. John Arthur Miller (we called him Jam back then) had a dream, and made it a reality. He dreamed of Sophia, his muse, and how she would help him create a fusion of art and stories and poems and music. Sophia was on the cover of Issue 1, published online in the fall of 2008, and in memory of those days, she is on the cover of this last issue. For fourteen years she has kept Liquid Imagination in her heart, but now it is time for her to rest.

It’s been an unbelievable journey for me, and I have made so many friends. Of course, number one is Jam. And Karl Rademacher who helped me build my first website and made Silver Pen come alive. Kevin Wallis was Liquid Imagination’s first Senior Fiction Editor and what a great job he did! His selected stories embodied the vision of Liquid Imagination. John C. Mannone, our Senior Poetry Editor, has been a powerhouse, selecting poetry that is both beautiful to read, as well as thought provoking.

Brandon Rucker composed music for the site and was a poetry editor, and Bob Eccles was the voice of Liquid Imagination for many issues. Past poetry editors also included Sherri Ellerman and Chrissy Davis.

We had a series of highly talented fiction guest editors between 2014 to 2019, including AJ Brown, Samuel Barnhart, Perry McDaid, Maureen Bowden, Edwin Riddell, Gary Fields, and Shah Khan. Edwin Riddell moved on to be Senior Editor from 2019 until this very last issue.

And I cannot forget the hundreds of authors and poets and photographers and artists whose work we were honored to publish. I hope you will browse through the old issues and enjoy experiencing once again the wonderful variety of stories and poems published over the years.

For fourteen years we’ve read thousands of submissions, struggling to select the best ones to publish from all the great ones submitted. I sincerely thank all who made Liquid Imagination such a success, and a great joy for me. I’m very proud of the magazine and of all of the people who contributed in so many ways. I wish every one of you the best that life has to offer.

Signing off with a full heart
Sue Babcock
Publisher, Liquid Imagination