when an urban place gets abandoned they check it for ghosts but when I feel that way it's like "welp sucks to suck I guess."

Things can go wrong but choose to be in the right path- And you will ask me whats the right path, Its where you believe ,and never loose hope upon yourself,its where you remember your journey from where you started,its where you donot let others overpower you,its where you are thankful for each and every thing that is present with you,its where you were so connected to the lord that you used to send letters to god by digging the soil or making boats while raining,

In the beginning, life stirred, a cosmic birth, God crafted Earth, but it lacked its worth. No purpose found, until Sun's radiant grace, A dance of creation, in the vast cosmic space.

To the planets, Earth questioned, seeking insight, Mercury spoke of heat, of love burning bright. Ice clung, a testament to endurance and might, Love found in uncertainty, a celestial light.

Venus, with a Moon, a companion so dear, Saturn, with sixty, love crystal clear. Mars, the hottest, passions held near, Each planet's tale, in the cosmic sphere.

Jupiter roared, storms fierce and grand, Love enduring, shaping destiny's hand. Saturn's rings, a commitment so grand, A celestial orchestra, God's command.

Uranus tilted gently, in cosmic ballet, Neptune's mystery, love far away. Planets spoke, in their own way, A cosmic conversation, in the starry array.

Earth journeyed on, through the vast expanse, Encountering comets, in a cosmic dance. Life forms diverse, on moons, a chance, To learn that love transcends, in every circumstance.

Cosmic encounters, nebulae's embrace, Revealing love's facets, in every space. Interconnectedness, a celestial grace, A tapestry woven, love's eternal chase.

Through galaxies and constellations untold, Love revealed, a story unfold. A force sustaining, a tale to be told, In the cosmic symphony, a love story bold.

Nkw

#love

In shadows deep, a heart unfolds, A tale of youth, where pain takes hold. At nineteen's door, a soul unclaimed, In overthought, friendships maimed.

Alone with thoughts, a choice embraced, To shield from hurt, in solitude encased. World's chaos whispers, a reason found, To build a fortress, on friendship's ground.

Miserable echoes in silent cries, A fear of loneliness, a heart denies. Yet sinking hearts and teary eyes, In solitude, where the spirit lies.

Dreams of bonds, like whispers, call, Lovely experiences, shadows enthrall. But caution's grip, a constant guide, In the dance of hearts, where pain may hide.

Will the journey end alone, untold? Or in vulnerability, new tales unfold? For within the labyrinth of fear's disguise, A resilient spirit, quietly sighs.

Nkw

(resource) Nine Muses Review is now open for poetry submissions to their email (editors@ninemusesreview.com) and is running a poetry contest starting Nov 16 with a first place prize of $100! No entry fees! Find out more information on their instagram @ ninemusesreview !!!!

Her. When my world decides to crumble It’s her that I can go to and everything gets pieced back together in a way that makes it better than before, it’s like shattering a bottle and making a stained glass rose out of the pieces. She makes my heart beat a little faster and my world move a little slower, when everything is spinning, she turns it into a slow dance. I feel empty and weary while I’m alone but when I’m in her arms, my mind rests and I feel like a weighted blanket has been placed on me. She’s my safest place in a world that makes me wanna be someone I’m not, but with her, I am me. It’s her, it’s always going to be her.

Get your weird on with our F(r)iction Fall 2023 Writing Contest! Submission are open NOW through Friday, November 3rd, 2023!

The entry fee for each category ranges from $10 - 15 USD. Winners of the poetry & flash fiction contest will win $300, and the winner of the short story contest will win $1000.

Learn more and submit through the F(r)iction website: https://frictionlit.org/contests/

New to F(r)iction? We're a is a triannual publication that boasts work from both industry legends and emerging writers. Each issue is carefully curated to evaluate an important cultural topic from vastly different perspectives. We accept short fiction, creative nonfiction, flash fiction, comics, and poetry submissions all year round, and also host contests featuring guest judges and cash prizes twice a year (each spring and fall). Every piece published in F(r)iction is also accompanied by custom artwork, making our journal a visual odyssey from cover to cover!

For our Fall 2023 contest, we are seeking writing that reflects a similar mission to our journal, F(r)iction: work that actively pushes the boundaries of traditional publishing, that has complex characters and a strong narrative arc, and makes us feel something as we read it. We want stories we haven't seen before, whether it twists or plays with genre, setting, language, voice, you name it. We accept submissions in three categories: Short Story, Poetry, and Flash Fiction.

Our contests also feature a panel of three guest judges to help us decide the winners for each category. For our Fall 2023 contest, writer Cathy Ulrich will be judging Short Story, Warsan Shire will be judging Poetry, and Sejal Shah will be judging Flash Fiction. Winners in each category will receive a cash prize, as well as work with one of our Senior Editors to see their work published either online or in our print journal.

All of us are broken in one way or another. Some of us are more broken than others. Some only have cracks. Some of us try to glue the broken piece's whit stuff that only brakes us more. Some let others help them fix the crack's, some ignore their crack's to help others whit fixing their crack's. Some of us just try to live whit it, bare the pain of the crack's. But one day they break. One way or another. But it's always a relief to finally ease their pain.

I got this thing in my mind when I was daydreaming.

The life I knew was all a lie. You orchestrated my life around me to manipulate me into everything you needed. I became your obedient life cheerleader. Validating your every emotion and thought. You made sure to isolate me from anyone who dared to push me to be my own person. I was your perfect puppet. You convinced me that I was over dramatic from feeling unsafe with him in our home. I'm sorry I mean your home since you put your traumatized teenager in a barely livable shed. You taught me that if given the chance everyone will choose someone else over me, including the person who brought me into this world. No wonder I never feel like I'm enough. I've never been truly loved. I've never had your love. From day one I was just something you used to make yourself look good. Now as a mother myself I could never forgive you. I'd rather die than my daughter face a fraction of what I did. I'll never let anything harm her, including myself. Unlike you I want my daughter to flourish. I will never compete with her. I'll raise her to know her worth. I never want her to feel less than anyone. You never deserved to have me as a daughter. But I'm glad that I get to give my daughter the mother I needed.

~Raven

Conditional forgiveness is not forgiveness, and the result of a lack of forgiveness is the theme of this poem, "I Swallowed the Sunrise" https://carpevelo.blogspot.com/2023/08/i-swallowed-sunrise-poem-of-month.html?m=0

how to never stop dying

wake up.

drown yourself in self doubt. allow dreams to float

without a course or direction because god forbid you ever act upon them.

leave the bed unmade:

romanticise the dirty sheets for they have been lived in and you feel anything but alive.

push the ones you have left away;

their 9 missed calls meant nothing anyway.

the voicemail box is far more useful for replaying your lost one’s voice in hopes you don’t forget how they said your name.

let yourself rot, but not feel.

people who live don’t feel.

conceal feeling under hard liquor

and a smile

in hopes that no one asks you if you’re really okay

because this would mean you’d have to be honest

people who live aren’t honest.

listen to the melodies that used to revoke emotions:

the lyrics that used to make you dance:

the harmonies that used to make you sing, for

people who live embrace in song, not in past tense.

visit memories with a hazy distance and wonder

if there was some way you could’ve fixed everything.

understand that like the billions who have lived and died

before you, they will live and die after you.

understand that your life is pointless because

people who live believe in future and potential.

hope that some place like heaven exists so somehow the pit

of grief and guilt and fear and sadness

will grow smaller as so you will no longer be banished to a lifetime of hoping and wishing to be dead because

people who live don’t wish to be dead.

Regrets collect like old friends
Here to relive your darkest moments
I can see no way, I can see no way
And all of the ghouls come out to play

And every demon wants his pound of flesh
But I like to keep some things to myself
I like to keep my issues drawn
It's always darkest before the dawn

And I've been a fool and I've been blind
I can never leave the past behind
I can see no way, I can see no way
I'm always dragging that horse around

All of his questions, such a mournful sound
Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground
'Cause I like to keep my issues drawn
But it's always darkest before the dawn

​

Florence & The Machine - Shake it Out

Know no city of gold could ever be as beautiful as the emeralds that shine in her eyes.

I’d cross the oceans of eternity just to get a glimpse just like the sun and moons infinite dance.

this old gold road I walked alone brick by brick and stone by stone the webs we weave the path we chose all meet in the middle.

Hope someday to see you meet me at the crossroads.

Day by day, brick by brick,stone by stone to build this home.

The green sun those emerald eyes oh how they shine.

Levana shamash I love Hannah so much the sun and the moon. the green and the blue. The wolf and the lion. 11:11 717

F(r)iction is a triannual publication that boasts work from both industry legends and emerging writers. We accept short fiction, creative nonfiction, flash fiction, comics, and poetry submissions all year round, and also host contests featuring guest judges and cash prizes twice a year (each spring and fall). Most importantly, here’s what makes F(r)iction different:

Reinvigorating the Reading Experience: We’ve all heard the stats, that readerships are dying, that publishing is on the run. Everyone’s cutting costs, moving online. But we’re doing the opposite. In order to get new and old generations alike EXCITED about reading, we work to create a literary collection as beautiful and inviting as the stories within. Each issue focuses on:

Championing works that push boundaries!: From traditional to the wildest genre tales, we never publish the same old same old!

Full, Custom Artwork: Adding another level of engagement, our full editorial artwork literally brings every story and poem to life!

Debuting New Talent: From our work in underserved communities to our free editing program, 30% of our content ALWAYS comes from emerging authors.

Unique Curation: Each issue of F(r)iction is carefully curated to help us evaluate an important cultural topic. Whether it’s Identity, Memory, Monsters, or Obsession, we seek a wide variety of perspectives—both in terms of the diversity of our authors and the genres through which they write—to help us think critically.

Social Equality through Education: By contributing to this journal, you’re doing more than just supporting great literature and art—you’re helping to bring life-changing stories to those who need them most. Our parent nonprofit, Brink Literacy Project, runs innovative education programs in underserved communities, using F(r)iction as a teaching tool to empower people to turn the page toward a better future.

Small Nonprofit, Big Reach: Although we’re just a small team of mostly volunteer editors, publishers, educators, and directors, we have never stopped fighting to use storytelling to change the world. All the proceeds from this little book go to support creatives, educators, and students from underserved communities.

SUBMIT: https://frictioncontests.submittable.com/submit

the temptations of the Decadent

http://gamahucherpress.yellowgum.com/wp-content/uploads/la-tentation-du-decadent.pdf

or

https://www.scribd.com/document/608441527/les-tentations-du-decadent-erotic-poetry

the decadent to love

https://www.scribd.com/document/604023403/The-Decadent-to-Love-erotic-poetry

The decadent to its Love

http://gamahucherpress.yellowgum.com/wp-content/uploads/le-d%C3%A9cadent-%C3%A0.pdf

or

https://www.scribd.com/document/599972096/The-Decadent-to-its-Love-erotic-poetry

Hello all! The F(r)iction Fall Contests are open for submission until November 1! We accept all genres and offer prizes of $1,000 for the winner of the short story contest and $300 for the winners of the poetry and flash fiction contests. Our guest judges are Ken Liu for short stories, Brian Evenson for flash fiction, and Faylita Hicks for poetry! Winners of all contests will be announced March 18, 2023. Entry fee depends on genre. More info here: https://frictionlit.org/contests/.

For full Submission Guidelines, please read the information on our Submittable page carefully (https://frictioncontests.submittable.com/submit). And please visit our formatting guidelines page (https://frictionlit.org/about/format/) to properly format your work for submission.

An insider tip for you all: We seek work that actively pushes boundaries, that forces us to question traditions and tastes. If your work takes risks, we want to read it. We like strong narratives that make us feel something and stories we haven’t seen before. To get an idea of the kind of work we look for, please check out this page from our editors detailing what we look for in our submissions (https://frictionlit.org/what-we-look-for/).

We also strongly recommend checking out a past issue of F(r)iction before submitting to our contests to get an idea of our general publishing aesthetic. We have several pieces available online (https://frictionlit.org/category/frictionseries/), but there’s nothing like holding a glossy, full-color issue in your hands. You can check out all of our issues in our shop (https://frictionlit.org/shop/).

The Decadent to its Self

http://gamahucherpress.yellowgum.com/wp-content/uploads/decadent.pdf

or

https://www.scribd.com/document/597768658/The-Decadent-to-its-self-erotic-poetry