Spring has sprung!

It was just a few weeks ago that your eMerge staff were all trying to shovel themselves out from the snow, and now allergies are reminding us what doesn't kill you can still make your life miserable.

Thankfully we have a whole new bouquet of poetry, prose, songs, and original photographs, both from returning artist and also some new friends! You might even recognize some folks who have popped up on our podcast, eMerge Unchained.

And just like spring seems to include both hot and cold days, you'll find themes from different extremes here, too. There's a tragic poem that touches on the loneliness of aging, and a story that dances through the blushing moments of first love. There's a poem that wonders if companionship is literally an elemental need, and a story (with a photo) that recounts the magic of an afternoon spent with children, picking out the perfect sticks for an art piece. There are also instances of loss, fear, and showing up the guy who just knows he's better than you (possibly the most satisfying reading experience I've had in a long time).

But we aren't just sitting around reading and writing. Your eMerge crew will be out in the wild at several events starting next week and going through the first weekend of May. Be sure to come by our table and say hello!

As March winds blow us into April showers, stock up on your allergy med of choice, grab a cool or warm beverage as the day dictates, and enjoy some of the best literary art you can find anywhere.

And we will be here (or out there) bringing you more to come.

Aubrey Green

Issue #26 - March 2025

LIVE NOW! EMERGE-MAGAZINE.COM

UNCLE SKILLET

by Nikki Hanna

CALL FROM MOTHER EARTH

by Abeera Mirza

ELEMENTAL ENQUIRY

by Christine Irving

LACK OF EXPLANATION

by Todd Sukany

CHOOSE YOUR BLISS

by John Rankine

A DRUMBEAT OF SORROW

by David Blumenfeld

A VISIT FROM GRANNY SMITH

by Bailey Rodfield

SALTY SAFETY

by Angela Townsend

IS THAT A QUESTION OR A STATEMENT?

by Ruth Mitchell

FEAR

by Zhenya Yevtushenko

THE GOLDEN GATE

by D. L. Lang

THE COMFORT-ABLY WORN WOMAN

by Hilka West-Irvin

SEVENS TAKE ALL

by Christy Prahl

WE ARE PAST THAT

by Sara Snelson

CONFUSION ENCOMPASSED

by J.M.Hall

IN THE ANCIENT HILLS

by Lynn Packham Larson

WHO’S THE LAMB NOW?

by Joyce Hanewinkel

COLLECTED POEMS

by David Zimmerman

A GLASS OF MILK

by Darlene Graf

ADRIFT

by Diane Morrow-Kondos

TEMPLE OF THE SACRED HEART

by Max Kerwien

THE WHITE ROSE

by L.W. AYERS

OPEN WATER

by Melissa Gish

SAVAGERY AND CIVILISATION

by Jeremy Gadd

RIVER DARK

by Haley Hodge

UNDER THE SHADOW OF THE MOON

by George Plautz

IF WALLS COULD TALK

by Marianna Mankle

NO TWO ARE A PERFECT TWO

by Anna Gall

FERTILE GROUND

by Sandra Spotts

MAKE UP SEX

by Matthew Williams

NOVEL LINES

by Stephen Bett

DANCING ON THE EDGE

by Ronda Del Boccio

THE DVD COLLECTION IN OUR BASEMENT

by Nicole Nunez

Take Note - Opportunities

Announcements from our Featured Partners

TLAN 2025 Power of Words Conference: The window to propose a workshop for the conference is open until April 1. The Power of Words conference will take place October 3 - 5 at Unity Village in the Kansas City, Missouri metro area. Learn more at https://www.tlanetwork.org/POW-25-Proposals

Scissortail 2025 Creative Writing Festival:  The Annual Scissortail Creative Writing Festival returns to East Central University, Ada, Oklahoma, April 3 - 5, marking the milestone 20th festival to take place. The event is free and open to the public. Learn more at https://ecuscissortail.blogspot.com

Tulsa LitFest 2025: On April 24 - 28, Tulsa LitFest brings together diverse literary artists and writers in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to collaborate and inspire, enriching the Tulsa community. The free festival includes events ranging from open mic nights and live readings to a small press book fair and a jazz show, presented in a variety of bookstores, taprooms and museums near downtown. https://tulsa.okstate.edu/poets-writers/litfest.html

Ozarks Writers League 2025 Spring Conference:  Announcing the 2025 Spring OWL Conference at a NEW city - Joplin, Missouri, meeting at the Joplin Public Library, April 26. Learn more at https://ozarkswritersleague.com/2025-Spring-Conference.php

May Poetluck at the Writers Colony at Dairy Hollow:  WCDH in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, is proud to bring Bill McCloud to WCDH for our May Poetluck, May 15, 6 - 8 p.m. Bill is a poetry editor for the Right Hand Pointing literary journal, poetry reviewer for Vietnam Veterans of America, and eMerge Magazine author. (Kudos to Charles Templeton for reading at the March Poetluck!) Learn more at https://www.writerscolony.org/event-details/may-poetluck-1

2025 WriterCon Alaskan Cruise:  This May 31 - June 7, dive into a comprehensive program offering over 20 hours of specialized writing instruction tailored to your unique aspirations. Our curated workshops, led by industry luminaries, cover a wide array of topics, from the art of character development to the nuances of publishing. Learn more at https://writercon.com/writercon-cruise/