(Artwork, “Great Blue Heron,” by Daniel Adams)
Our forthcoming BHR issue #18 on the theme of TRANSFORMATION AND CHANGE will be published in late spring 2024 (date TBD). Thank you to everyone who submitted work for this issue. All submissions will be read with great care. Responses will be sent out approximately 8-10 weeks after receiving a submission.
(*Artist credit: Photo by Andra C Taylor Jr on Unsplash)
Feel free to interpret this theme in any way that speaks to you. This could be about personal transformation and inner change, transforming your local community, transforming your relationships with loved ones, or making a positive change in our world today. See where this theme takes you, and then send us your best poems.
*NOTE: Please see our updated SUBMISSION GUIDELINES page. There have been some changes.
I look forward to reading your poems! Sharpen your pencils and limber up. It’s time to transform our lives through the written word.
Cristina M. R. Norcross, Founding Editor
Blue Heron Review
It is an honor to curate Blue Heron Review and bring you a wonderful selection of thoughtful, meditative poetry. I am proud of each and every one of our talented contributors. We had close to 100 poems to consider for a Pushcart Prize nomination. It was very difficult to choose just 6. Please join me in celebrating the work of these fine writers. The following poets nominated appear in either BHR 16 or BHR 17.
(*Simply scroll down to find the work of each author within the issue.)
From BHR 16 Spring 2023 / Sanctuaries & Places of Peace
1. Patricia Nelson / “The Women of Paradise”
2. Jenna Wysong Filbrun / “Mirrors”
From BHR 17 Fall 2023 / Heart Source & Haven
1. Susan Martell Huebner / “Tracking Progress at the YMCA”
2. Terry Jude Miller / “cicada meditation”
3. John Grey / “Deer Island”
4. Joanne Clarkson / “The Library on Market Street”
(*Artist credit: Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash)
Our next open call for submissions for our spring 2024 issue of Blue Heron Review (BHR #18) will be January 15th–30th, 2024.
THEME: THE POWER OF TRANSFORMATION & CHANGE
Feel free to interpret this theme in any way that speaks to you. This could be about personal transformation and inner change, transforming your local community, transforming your relationships with loved ones, or making a positive change in our world today. See where this theme takes you, and then send us your best poems.
*NOTE: Please see our updated guidelines page. There have been some changes. Please do not send submissions before January 15th, 2024. A recent change in the work flow of BHR will be that only 20-25 poems will be selected for each issue. We have grown tremendously over the past 10 years, and our issues have become too large to curate and edit. This change will enable Blue Heron to continue to exist without exhausting our inner resources. This means that the selection process will become more challenging, and we won’t be able to accept as many poems as we would like. Please keep this in mind when submitting. Managing a literary journal is a huge undertaking. It is a labor of love that does not come with a salary. Editors are writers, too, who have careers and families.
I truly look forward to reading your poems in January! Sharpen your pencils and limber up. It’s time to transform our lives through the written word.
All kind thoughts,
Cristina M. R. Norcross, Founding Editor
Blue Heron Review
(Cover artist credit: Richard Havenga)
Welcome to the fall issue of Blue Heron Review (BHR 17 / “Heart Source & Haven”). To read and enjoy our full issue of poetry and artwork, please visit the BHR 17 page of our website.
CONTRIBUTORS
Poets:
Cynthia Pratt * Catherine Gonick * Cathy Thwing * Sue Ann Gleason * Terry Jude Miller * Jim Landwehr * Jacqueline Kudler * Pat Phillips West * Jill McGrath * Janet Ruth * Sarah Sadie * Sarah Dickenson Snyder * Judith Sornberger * Ellen Austin-Li * Bonnie Demerjian * Susan Martell Huebner * Kavita Ezekiel Mendonca * Strider Marcus Jones * Nancy Jean Larson * Mary Fitzpatrick * John Grey * Paula Schulz * Mary Trafford * Luanne Castle * Thomas A Thrun * Nancy Austin * Anne Kundtz * Joanne Clarkson * Gary Grossman * Stephen Anderson * Emily Tee * Laura Foley * Scott Ferry * Carol Tahir * Kathrine Yets * Karen A VandenBos * Julie A Dickson * Mary Ray Goehring * Gary Thomas * Jackie Langetieg * Diane Vogel Ferri * Margaret DeRitter * Lisa Ashley * Gail Tirone * Martha Jackson Kaplan * Marsha Owens * Sara Sarna * Paulette Laufer
Artists:
Richard Havenga (cover artist) * Donna Hilbert (featured artist) * Janet Ruth * Paula Lietz * Jeannie E Roberts * Mary Ray Goehring
EDITOR’S NOTE:
I hope that this collection of poetry and artwork provides a welcome space of quiet calm, at a time when our world is in need of repair and peace. In small and gentle ways, may these offerings comfort the heart and mind. This issue is meant to be savored, so take your time. Grab a cup of tea or coffee and settle in. Take some time to hit pause during your day. We hope that you will return again and again to sit with these poems and drink them in.
Kind thoughts,
Cristina M. R. Norcross, Editor
Blue Heron Review
(*founded in 2013)
It is an honor to curate Blue Heron Review and bring you a wonderful selection of thoughtful, meditative poetry. I am proud of each and every one of our talented contributors. I wish I could have nominated more than just 6 authors for the Best of the Net awards. This year, it was especially difficult to choose, as we had close to 80 poems to consider. Please join me in celebrating the work of these fine writers. The following poets nominated appear in either BHR Issue 15 Fall 2022 or BHR Issue 16 Spring 2023.
Visit the BHR 15 and BHR 16 pages of this site to read all of these beautiful poems. Simply scroll down to find the work of each author within the issue.
Nominations from BHR Issue 15 Fall 2022
Laura Goldin / “Another Place”
Diane Vogel Ferri / “For You”
*
Nominations from BHR Issue 16 Spring 2023
Patricia Nelson / “The Women of Paradise”
Ginny Lowe Conners / “Home”
Chrissy Stegman / “A Pilgrim’s Pace”
Jenna Wysong Fulbrun / “Mirrors”
Our upcoming fall 2023 issue of Blue Heron Review (BHR #17) is due to be published online at the end of October. We have a gorgeous collection of poetry and photography/art. I can’t wait to share it with you all! Our next open call for submissions will not be until January 2024 (this will be for our spring issue). Details, deadlines, and our new theme will be announced in the coming months. To read past issues, see the ARCHIVES page.
(*artist credit: Robert Lee Haycock)
(Cover artist credit: Thomas A Thomas)
Welcome to our BHR 16 Spring 2023 issue of Blue Heron Review! We hope you enjoy this themed selection of poems — Sanctuaries & Places of Peace. To read the full selection of poems and view the beautiful, fine art photography included, please go to the BHR 16 page of our website. Take your time, allow yourself to leisurely sip and savor this issue. These poems will surround you with the energy of peaceful afternoons in the forest, time spent with loved ones, and the deep well of calm that exists within. Breathe, read, reflect, repeat. Thank you for joining us for this very special issue!
CONTRIBUTORS:
Poets:
M J Iuppa * John Davis * James Crews * Mary Alice Williams * Michael S Glaser * Kai Coggin * Javi Maria Cain * John M Bellinger * Tad Phippen Wente * Gloria Heffernan * B L Bruce * Beate Sigriddaughter * Jo Taylor * Patricia Nelson * Lisa Romano Licht * Andrea Potos * Kristen Baum DeBeasi * Abha Das Sarma * j lewis * Elizabeth McCarthy * Angela Hoffman * Jeannie E Roberts * Jenna Wysong Filbrun * Kathie Giorgio * Jennifer Dodge * Susan Glassmeyer * Mary Anna Scenga Kruch * Steve Bucher * Ginny Lowe Connors * Kathleen Deyer Bolduc * Helen Bournas-Ney * Penny Harter * Chrissy Stegman * Colleen Keating * Daniel Lanzdorf * Gwyneth Wynn-Davies * Ronnie Hess * Lynne Burnett * Carol Alena Aronoff * Diana Raab * Cheryl Byler Keeler * Patricia Carney * Jan Chronister * Joyce Ritchie * Joan Leotta * Michael Minassian
Artists:
Thomas A Thomas (cover artist) * j lewis (featured artist) * Fiona Capuano * Michael Jeske *
Editor’s Note:
It is with great sadness that I must share the news that we have lost a dear member of our Blue Heron Review family. Professor and poet M J Iuppa passed away last month. M J was a regular contributor to Blue Heron, and she was our featured poet for the month of March 2015. She will be greatly missed by the writing community. In honor of M J’s memory, her poem, “Drink This In,” appears as the first poem in our issue.
Send goodness and light out into our world. This will be our saving grace for tomorrow.
Peace,
Cristina M. R. Norcross, Founding Editor
Blue Heron Review
(*Photo by Javardh on Unsplash)
Our next online issue “Sanctuaries and Places of Peace” will be launched in mid-May. (This is only a delay of 2 weeks.) I am especially thrilled and honored to curate this issue. Our world needs welcoming, peaceful spaces, where we can hit the pause button, take a deep breath, and find nourishment for the heart. I hope that you enjoy our next issue. We have a varied collection of poems and fine art photography on this theme.
Until then, please enjoy the gentle lead up to spring. Find moments of calm and connection in your life. Celebrate the times when there is quiet after a storm. I know that we could all use that, right now. We’ll see you back here on the BHR page in May!
Cristina M. R. Norcross, Founding Editor
Blue Heron Review
(Founded 2013)
SANCTUARIES AND PLACES OF PEACE
PLEASE READ / SPECIAL NOTE: Delayed Submission Responses for BHR16
Due to unexpected circumstances, response times will now be 10-12 weeks (instead of 8-10 weeks). Apologies for the inconvenience. Thank you for understanding.
***
Thank you to all those who submitted poems for our next issue, BHR 16 Spring 2023 / “Sanctuaries and Places of Peace.” Our issue will be devoted to creating a safe haven of peace for our writers and readers. All submissions will be read with great care. Our online publication date for this issue has been re-scheduled for mid-May.
Blue Heron Review 