JANUARY 15-30, 2027
(*Submissions must be received by MIDNIGHT US Central, Jan. 30^th)

THEME: “The Communities We Create”

The communities we choose and seek out provide sustenance, support, and comfort.  When we gather together with others for a shared hobby or cause, we create bonds of connection that add to our sense of wellness. Whether it’s a book club, a writing group, a yoga class, a knitting circle, a pickleball team, a grief support group, a coffee hour at church, a birdwatching club, a hiking group, a model train club, an open mic night group, a volunteer organization (or any favorite group you have), these connections we make matter.  Please send us your best (1-2) poems on this topic of “The Communities We Create” and how they enrich our lives.

(*Note: Please do not send submissions prior to January 15th. They will not be read or considered. Please visit the SUBMISSION GUIDELINES page for a complete list of instructions and read carefully.)

I look forward to reading your poems with care, presence, and attention!

—Cristina M. R. Norcross
Founding Editor, Blue Heron Review