Michael McNeilley's (he's the one with glasses) work fluctuates between the realistic and the romantic; the formless style of modern American poetry and more traditional styles, such as the villanelle. He also fluctuates between the literal and the symbolic. Some of his works are carefully constructed layers of metaphor, while others just flat-out tell you that his life sucks. He intermittently chooses to be humorous, and when he does, succeeds with flair. We present both some of his poetry and a short story here.
Poems and stories by Michael McNeilley have appeared in hundreds of print and electronic publications, including New York Quarterly, Slipstream, Mississippi Review, Sonoma Mandala, Chicago Review, Impetus, Chiron Review and Poet. McNeilley is a graduate of the University of Colorado, has worked as a journalist, stagehand, graphic artist and corporate vice president, and currently writes full time. McNeilley lives in Aberdeen, WA. His recent books and chapbooks include Editing Lessons, from Olympia Review Press (1994), Grift, from God's Bar Press (1995), Love and Beer, from Zero City Press (1995), 15 Haiku, from Lilliupt Review Press (1996), and Punch Lines, from AAR Press (1998). Look for him at his Geocities site, his Techline site, and his Cruzio site. Find out about his new book, Situational Reality, at the Unlikely Stories bookstore. Michael McNeilley died July 16, 2000.
Michael's works here at Unlikely Stories are:
July 1998 - July 1999:
Cannonball
Tiramisu
Hear You in My Sleep
Cold September
Sonata for One String
As the Moon Sets, the Stars Return
Here You Are
Hitler Didn't Die
To See Without Light
More Music Please
Work
Another Way of Singing
Water