Current Issue

The 2017 Contest

The work submitted to Philadelphia Stories for this year’s Sandy Crimmins National Prize in Poetry was ambitious and exciting.

Firestorm: Checagou – WINNER

In the tall stalks of plenty where prairie meets plains

Content Warning: Pantoum – RUNNER UP

We warn you this video may contain graphic images

adoctrinado – RUNNER UP

indoctrinate: (1) to teach (someone) to fully accept

Extinction (I) – RUNNER UP

Cyanobacteria in primeval waves

Duffey – HONORABLE MENTION

I had a brother at Khe Sahn

The Diameter of a Ringling Bros. Circus Ring – HONORABLE MENTION

The diameter of a circus ring is forty-two feet

Changes to Your Itinerary May Affect Your Fate – HONORABLE MENTION

My ticket doesn’t really say that. My ticket says “fare,” not “fate”

Northbound Train – HONORABLE MENTION

First, there’s the gentle rumble of the train cars

Milk Soup – Editor’s Choice

At 5 months my sister rejected

“coming to America” – Editor’s Choice

my grandmother is arrested 5 times

You’re Having A Nice Day Because I Told You To Have A Nice Day – Editor’s Choice

When you tilted your head back a bit

Murambi (Rwanda, 2008) – Editor’s Choice

There is no smell of death here. Even the lime

subjunctivity – Editor’s Choice

fifteen.

Benched

Her daughter was in trouble.

Duty

The parameters of the assignment were not at all clear.

The Fix

Nestled in the back corner of my classroom

Let’s face it

Pretend that you find yourself in a scary situation.

Hello Story Lovers!

I’m excited to announce that I’m the new

Molly Peacock Interview

“Women! Keep your writing in your purse. Don’t reach for that brochure in your dentist’s office waiting room: read your favorite writer—you. Get out those drafts from your bag and revel in your own ideas. That will get you to the next line, the next sentence.”