Together, by Sarah Orne Jewett (love poem, 1875)

[lb_lee]

I wonder if you really send
Those dreams of you that come and go!
I like to say, "She thought of me,
And I have known it." Is it so?

Blurb: A poem where one woman pines for the loss of another, but is still able to be with her in dreams.

Why is it worth your time?: Similar in tone and content to Shakespeare's 27, a poem of those who visit us in dreams. It's free, short, and publicly online, what have you got to lose?

Plural Tags: abuse not mentioned, dreamfolk

Content Warnings: None.

Access Notes: Screenreadable and freely available to read online, courtesy of the Atlantic! I've also backed it up on the Wayback Machine and reposted the poem in its entirety in the comments, since it should be in the public domain.

Misc Notes: Sarah Orne Jewett had many passionate friendships with women, which marriage tended to strain. This poem perhaps recognizes that.

Childish Things, by Renee Carter Hall (contemporary short story, 2012)

[lb_lee]

"I'm hallucinating," David said. "Right?"

Jinks stretched. "Never fails. When kids see something they can't explain, it's magic. When adults see something they can't explain, they're cracking up. It's a pretty limiting way of looking at the world, if you ask me."

Blurb: As a new father, David feels he's supposed to be an adult, but his premature daughter is clinging to life in the hospital, and he's never felt so helpless... until his childhood imaginary friend returns to remind him that growing up isn't just about leaving things behind.

Why is it worth your time?: It's a sweet story about intergenerational imaginary friends! Free to read online, give it a shot!

Plural Tags: abuse not mentioned, otherworld, imaginary friends, nonhumans (purple horned big cat, winged horse), friendship, visions

Content Warnings: It's not a spoiler to say that worries about a premature infant's survival is a big part of this story!

Access Notes: Free to read online at Weasyl. (Back-up link here.) Also available as part of the author's ebook short story collection Six Impossible Things.

Drawn From Memory, by Renee Carter Hall (romance short story, 2012)

[lb_lee]

"What about the others from the show? Do you ever see them?"

"They've all been gone for years. Longtusk held out the longest. But I was the star, and the stars are always the last ones left."

Blurb: Lauren's been a fan of Terrence Tiger since she was a little girl, and the chance to interview the cartoon star is any fan's dream. But there's more to Terrence than sight gags and pratfalls, and soon there's more to their relationship than either of them expected.

Why is it worth your time?: It's a bittersweet story of fandom and shameless love of the beings who populate our favorite cartoons. I enjoyed it!

Plural Tags: abuse not mentioned, nonhumans (Robert Rabbit style toons, anthropomorphic animals), romantic relationships

Content Warnings: contain spoilers; see comments

Access Notes: Available for free reading online on Weasyl (back-up link, also available in the collection Six Impossible Things and Bad Dog Press's ROAR vol. 3 (which appears to be out of print). Screenreadable.

Misc Notes: