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Blackbird Journal

@blackbirdjournal

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An online journal of literature and the arts led by grad students at VCU. We publish poetry, fiction, nonfiction, art, & more. Submissions are open!

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David Freed’s portraits of Larry Levis are some of our favorites from the @blackbirdjournal archives! Along with these gorgeous drawings, Freed recounts his initial encounters with Levis and how the two went on to collaborate on two projects during their time as professors at VCU. Both the projects continue to remain in the archives of VCU’s Cabell Library’s Special Collections.

To access the complete feature, click on the link in our bio! hand-drawn portraits of poet Larry Levis by artist David Freed for Virginia Commonwealth University’s literary journal, Blackbird by @blackbirdjournal

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Thrilled to nominate these six pieces for the Pushcart Prize! Read these fabulous pieces at blackbird.vcu.edu🐦‍⬛ "On a background of leaves overlaid with blue, list of Pushcart Nominees, divided by genre. Under Creative Nonfiction, ""Caution Exotic Animals"" by Kristina Garvin. Under Fiction, ""Don't Touch"" by Joel Worford. Under Poetry, ""Land"" by Anzhelina Polonskaya, translated by Andrew Wachtel, ""Prayer"" by Debmalya Bandyopadhyay, ""Grand Coulee"" by Zach Simon, and ""Recipe for Bilo-Bilo"" by Asa Drake.
" by @blackbirdjournal

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Did you know creative nonfiction submissions are currently open? Take a look at lead nonfiction editor Sara Caskey's thoughts on what we'd like to see in the queue! If you have something you think might fit the bill, please submit! More info at https://blackbird.vcu.edu/submissions/ Image with orange background and typewriter at the bottom. In bold, text reads, "What are we looking for in creative nonfiction?" Below, in regular type, "We have our eyes peeled for tight, textured pieces that explore the nuances of memory, investigate power, or lean into experimental forms that enhance meaning. If your writing can make us look out the window a little bit differently than we did before, please submit!" Under that, in bold above the typewriter, "Submissions currently open!" by @blackbirdjournal

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Sometimes our lead editors like taking their interns on field trips. Recently, Blackbird's art team stopped by a favorite spot on campus: @vculibraries' Cabell Library, which holds a fantastic section of art books. Here are some of the books we browsed to help keep us inspired as Blackbird considers visual art submissions! On an ottoman, four art books, including a book on African art, Australian indigenous art, and interior design by women, displayed, along with a variety of drinks, a cell phone, and a Starbucks food bag. You can see a glimpse of a red skirt and a large floral bag. taken in VCU James Branch Cabell Library by @blackbirdjournal

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Blackbird ❤️s translated poetry! Have you seen this beauty, translated by Kenedee Westberry, from our spring Flight? Read the full poem at https://blackbird.vcu.edu/flight/v24n3/ "On white space, surrounded by a thick black line, poem excerpt from
New Moon (which is written in italics) by Marina Tsvetaeva & translated by Kenedee Westberry. Quote is:

""A new moon arose over the meadow,
Over the dewy abutment.
Dear, distant and alien,
Come, you will, as a friend.

In the morning—hiding, in the morning—I am silent."" At the bottom of image, it reads ""Poetry / Blackbird v24n3.""" by @blackbirdjournal

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These pieces swooped right into our hearts! So honored to nominate this cloud of blackbirds for Best of the Net. 🐦‍⬛ "Against a black and gray backdrop of leaves, a list of Best of the Net nominees organized by issue of Blackbird, which are as follows: ""v24n3: Strawberry Season"" by Kate Sweeney (poetry)
""Recipe for Bilo-Bilo"" by Asa Drake (poetry)
""Essay Concerning Human Understanding"" by Brooke Middlebrook (nonfiction)
""The Plagiarist"" by Luc Le (fiction)
""The Archive is Soft"" by Kat Thompson (art) v24n2 ""Land"" by Anzhelina Polonskaya, translated by Andrew Wachtel
""Grand Coulee"" by Zach Simon
""Caution Exotic Animals"" by Kristina Garvin (nonfiction)
""Don't Touch"" by Joel Worford (fiction)
""Sunny Side up"" by Anne von Freyburg (art), v24n1 ""ORIGIN"" by Sébastian Luc Butler (poetry)
""Prayer"" by Debmalya Bandyopadhyay (poetry).""" by @blackbirdjournal

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Congratulations to Blackbird contributor @joelworford for winning @sarabandebooks' Mary McCarthy Prize in Short Fiction! We look forward to his book! You can read Joel's story "Don't Touch" at https://blackbird.vcu.edu/dont-touch/

Are you a Blackbird contributor with exciting prize or publication news? Let us know by DMs or at our Blackbird email address! Announcement of Joel Worford winning the Mary McCarthy Prize in short fiction judged by Kaveh Akbar, including a photo of the author, followed by this text:

THE TROUBLE WITH KNOWING BETTER
Judge Citation: "The Trouble with Knowing Better's treatment of myth and what, who, gets mythologized, is so singular and moving, it's hard to know exactly what to say about it. The author takes on love, music, God, family, sports, power in voices that carousel between the demonic and sacred, the hilarious profane and the shudderingly brilliant, often all in the same paragraph. It's thrilling! It's so much the real thing." by @blackbirdjournal

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It's a perfect day to catch up on our newest Blackbird flight, which is filled with sound art and video essays! You can watch M Freeman (@cinemadivina)'s full video essay, "A Vernacular of the Numinous," along with video essays by Désirée Jung, John Bresland, and Sree at blackbird.vcu.edu! by @blackbirdjournal

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