Brother by Sue Powers The Brother comes home with a bride. He is the baby of us four, forever last, and in our hard feeling home, forever leave him out beat him down trip him up stick your foot out here he comes harassed. Cousins with an extra room put them up. The Bride is refined, educated, previously married, the sharp delicacy of her features revealing sensitivity and no small amount of sophistication concerning the subject of Family. We like her immediately. The Brother's eyes glow. He's pleased to have pleased not only himself but us all. All but Mother. Who has spent the evening reinventing it, and who at this moment is picking at her food. She slowly raises the fork to her mouth, slips a bit on her tongue. “Delicious,” she says, her mouth twisted in distaste. "Brother" was originally published in Happy, issue 6, 1996. It appears here by permission of the author. All content in SmokeLong Quarterly copyright 2003-2008 by its authors.
	Sue Powers' stories have appeared in numerous zines and publications such as StoryQuarterly, Another Chicago Magazine, SWELL, Happy, Facets, Samizdada, and elsewhere. She is a recipient an Illinois Arts Council Fellowship and an IAC Grant. If she did not (have to) work her day job, she would spend her time reading, writing stories, and learning the art of jewelry-making. Read the interview.
	Issue Twenty (March 15, 2008): The Cockroach by David Barringer «» Trestle by Matt Briggs «» Worried & Wondering by Aaron Burch «» Dead Dog Rising by Kate Hill Cantrill «» Tinder by Chanel Earl «» Scrape by Utahna Faith «» Arlo's Big Head by Stefanie Freele «» Wei-Ch'i by Vanessa Gebbie «» Last Fall by Katherine Grosjean «» David Dreams of Australopithecines by Savannah Schroll Guz «» The Last Stop by Jenny Halper «» Blue by Stephanie Harrison «» Cadet by Tiff Holland «» Slam by Liesl Jobson «» Beret by Darlin' Neal «» Camp by Elizabeth Oliver «» We by Patricia Parkinson «» Seconds Are Ticking By by Nik Perring «» Brother by Sue Powers «» Carol by Sophie Rosenblum «» Elizabeth Bishop by Glenn Shaheen «» Favorites by Gail Siegel «» Blank by Michelle Tandoc-Pichereau «» Medicinal by Girija Tropp «» Interviews: David Barringer «» Matt Briggs «» Aaron Burch «» Kate Hill Cantrill «» Chanel Earl «» Utahna Faith «» Stefanie Freele «» Vanessa Gebbie «» Katherine Grosjean «» Savannah Schroll Guz «» Jenny Halper «» Stephanie Harrison «» Tiff Holland «» Liesl Jobson «» Darlin' Neal «» Elizabeth Oliver «» Patricia Parkinson «» Nik Perring «» Sue Powers «» Sophie Rosenblum «» Glenn Shaheen «» Gail Siegel «» Claudia Smith «» Michelle Tandoc-Pichereau «» Girija Tropp «» Cover Art "Male Figure" by Marty D. Ison «» Letter From the Editor