Category: The Short of It

The Short Of It – You Still Have Time!

Published on by Susi Bocks9 Comments

Can you believe it – we’ve got about ten weeks left in this year?!? It’s amazing how quickly the time has flown by since I opened the latest submission cycle. While I don’t have the roster completely filled for next year yet, I’m about one submission away from reaching the single digits of how many I still need. I encourage anyone who wants to participate in The Short of It this year to submit their entries! If you wait until the last minute, I may have reached capacity. I really don’t want to turn anyone away. Don’t dilly-dally!

I’m thrilled to share and feature the new talent and hope you are as impressed as I have been so far. The work of our past loyal supporters of The Short of It is also exquisite. So much talent out there! You all knock my socks off. :)

Reminder – The Short Of It Submission Cycle Is Open

Published on by Susi Bocks4 Comments

Just a reminder – if you know how to make a big impression with a few words – I WANT YOU to submit your original work to The Short of It!

I’m accepting creations through the end of December, but will close it when we have reached 52 accepted submissions. So you are aware, I have already received roughly 60% of the features for next year’s publications. Do not dally in getting in your work!

Please feel free to share this with anyone and everyone you know who is interested in creating micro-poetry or short pieces of writing. More information about the submission guidelines can be found by clicking this link.

Looking forward to reading your masterpieces! 

The Short Of It Update

Published on by Susi Bocks3 Comments

I’ve already received fourteen submissions in the first week. AMAZING! But there is a BUT. I’ve also had to remind eight additional people to PLEASE follow the directions on the Submissions Page. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but if you don’t follow the submission process as outlined, your work will not be accepted.

**Another Update – I’ve received a total of seventeen now, but unfortunately, four more have been declined for not following the guidelines! I want to emphasize how important it is that you do!

So…

First, go to this LINK…

Second, thoroughly read the rules in that link…

Third, where it says…

Click this hyperlink to take you to the online Submission Form. Due to the amount of work involved in all facets of The Short of It that I’ve done on previous submission cycles, I had to streamline the process. I love what I do with this, but I also don’t want to get burned out from managing all the details the way I have in the past. THIS submission process will work efficiently for you and me, but it won’t if you don’t follow the directions. Please and thank you!

The Short of It – It’s OFFICIALLY OPEN Again!

Published on by Susi Bocks6 Comments

Welcome back, all you fabulous micro-poets! The excitement I feel every time I open it up again is palpable. Each submission cycle sees our veteran writers returning, as well as new and talented individuals checking in for the first time. I am always amazed at the work they submit!

I invite everyone interested in participating to read the guidelines on the submission page, whether you’ve been with us since the beginning or are new to our publication. Please follow the rules to ensure your submission is accepted. This year is significantly different from previous years, as I’ve tried to streamline it as much as possible. It should make it easier for us all! Should you have any questions, I’m an email away. :)

Click here – Submissions Page

Also, a quick reminder, only the first 52 accepted submissions make it into the features and the book, so don’t dilly-dally! Get them in as soon as you can.

Since The Short of It‘s inception in 2020, I’ve been honored to publish these three volumes – The Sound of Brilliance , Reflections & Revelations, and Natures Discovered on Amazon.

All the books contain incredible thoughts, which I’m proud to have been privy to initially and then feature publicly, not only with my audience here but also around the world. If you haven’t gotten your copy yet, feel free to click on the links. I’d appreciate it!

I look forward to receiving the first submission!

The Short Of It – Volume 3 – Cover Reveal

Published on by Susi Bocks29 Comments

The latest volume is coming along! My goal is to have it published in early April or sooner. Keep your fingers crossed. :) It is a privilege to curate and assemble this volume of talented people – 39 in total and with 12 brand new poets featured!! Every year, I’m blown away by their insights and creativity.

Check out the list of poets in Volume 3! Lorraine Lewis, Claudia Messelodi, Duane L Herrmann, Freya Pickard, Eugenia Hoffman, Karuna Mistry, Carolyn Crossley©VixenOfVerse, Rebelle Fleur, G.A. Neal, Ivor Steven, John Grey, Timo Schmitz,
Marisela Brazfield, Cheryl Wood, Goutam Dutta, Kritika Maheshwari, Layla Todd, Amrita Valan, Jia-Li Yang AKA Cassa Bassa, Stephen Buchanan, Jane Ayres, Daisy Green, Candice Louisa Daquin, Gypsie-Ami Offenbacher-Ferris, Reena Saxena, Christine Hickey, Smitha Vishwanath, Ken Gierke, Bartholomew Barker, Akhila Siva, Tina Stewart Brakebill, Ash Jaudon, Elisha Ager, Selma Martin, Pat Alderman, Lisa Tomey-Zonneveld, Radhika Puttige, Monica St Hillaire, and Carol Anne.

This year, I will not be hosting individual interviews. But I will do one group meeting with as many of the poets who wish to join us for a group interview. Frankly speaking, I don’t have the time since I also have two additional book projects this year. An email will go out to all the poets once the date and time have been determined. Whoever can make it will be a part of this group get-together, and then it will be posted on my YouTube channel. If you haven’t subscribed yet, please consider doing so. Click HERE!

Stay tuned for more news as it develops!

2024 TSI Features

Published on by Susi Bocks21 Comments

With the last feature posted the previous Friday, sadly, another year ends. At least there is the next cycle to look forward to! I will start accepting submissions again on July 1, 2025.

I look forward to a compilation of this year’s features by the end of April or, hopefully, sooner. The title and cover of Volume 3 will be shared as soon as it’s official!

TSI had twelve new, glorious poets in 2024, a record. Thank you so much to all those who participated this year! Your work was exquisite!

Carol Anne

Published on by Susi Bocks5 Comments

Clicker Babu – Unsplash

Eileen

Eileen, my guide
Through the depths of my mind’s maze
With wisdom and care
You help me find my true self
In your presence, I find peace

Sunrise

Golden rays emerge,
Painting the sky with colors,
New day, hope awakes.

Nitro

Lost in memories,
Nitro’s pawprints on my heart,
Forever cherished.

The Morning Sky

Golden rays emerge,
Painting the sky with colors,
Morning’s gentle kiss.
Birds sing their joyful chorus,
Nature awakes with new hope.

Feeling Blue

In shadows I dwell,
Heart heavy with sorrow’s weight,
Hope’s light yet to swell.

~~~

Carol Anne (pen name) is a 40-something-year-old totally blind woman from Ireland.  She is diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder and complex PTSD, and she enjoys reading, writing, and having fun. This is Carol Anne’s first feature with The Short of It.

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If you’d like to be featured on The Short of It in the future,
click here for the submission guidelines.

– Vol 1 The Sound of Brilliance and Vol 2 Reflections & Revelations on Amazon

Cheryl Wood

Published on by Susi Bocks2 Comments
Matthew Brodeur – Unsplash

Neighbors

Neighbors seem a friendly lot
Talk about what they’ve got
Talk about themselves a lot
But neighbors? I’d rather not.

Wild Roses

Petals peeking
Perfume pleasing 
Pistils pearly

Highway 

Pavement drumming
Tires humming
Lines overrunning 
Looping exits
Please no texting
Speeders vexing

~~~

Cheryl Wood is a mom and grandmother who enjoys scribbling some words, hopefully with humor. She started writing in 2015 after a second bout of cancer to keep busy while recuperating. Cheryl was featured in 2020 and in 2022. You can find her work HERE. Selected pieces of her work were published in The Short of It – Volume 1 & Volume 2. This is her second feature this year.

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If you’d like to be featured on The Short of It in the future,
click here for the submission guidelines.

– Vol 1 The Sound of Brilliance and Vol 2 Reflections & Revelations on Amazon

Monica St Hillaire

Published on by Susi Bocks3 Comments
Leon Pauleikhoff – Unsplash

TORMENTED

Boisterous ocean has one voice suppressed
Darkness encompasses dreary hollow
Podium destroyed where she once professed

Daisies wither with fallen leaves of grey
Synchronization of gloom will follow
Bewildered sun fights to save battered ray

No melody to fly in ascension
Grappled moment mere taste to not swallow
Plethora of scars too much to mention

Blurry moon forever shape of crescent
Gnarled road condemns maze one can borrow
Ruinous whirlwind wrecks past and present

Comfort dissipated by harsh wayside
Sadness dominion coercing wallow
In cheerful robin compelled to confide

Yearn for freedom as carefree apollo
Pensiveness always permit such sorrow
Boisterous ocean has one voice suppressed
Podium destroyed where she once professed

EVENING HOUR

caged bird chirps aloud
ember sunset fades away
warm red hibiscus

BYGONES

memory flashes
touch of worn kitchen table
tears begin to stream

AFTERGLOW

cherry tree dampness
streak of raindrop upon rock
distant croak echoes

LOST ANCHOR

Erroneous are my deepest thoughts,
Thinking forever and a day belongs to me.
Serendipity just a corner away,
And a brilliant moon will brighten the night sky,
In its exclusive fashion,
Because of my inner and undying love.
A desire that eagerly burns, 
Within the walls of my soul.
Am I blinded by my memories?
Calculated scenarios that engulf my mind?
Carousel thoughts circulate inside my head.
I ponder occasionally,
Try to make stern sense.
If not anything else,
To know if I’m in an intricate realm,
Unaware to comprehend any distinction,
Between fact and fiction,
Between truth and falsity.
In the mouth of madness,
Winding road of uncertainty,
With chapters yet still unwritten
The journey continues… 

~~~

Monica St Hillaire considers herself to be a “warrior of words.“ Writer of poetry and lover of free verse and haiku, she aspires to one day publish books of poems and short stories. Her first feature was in 2020. You can find her previous features HERE.

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If you’d like to be featured on The Short of It in the future,
click here for the submission guidelines.

– Vol 1 The Sound of Brilliance and Vol 2 Reflections & Revelations on Amazon

Radhika Puttige

Published on by Susi Bocks6 Comments
Seb Mooze – Unsplash

Dilemma

Crossroad confusion
the undecided chatter
tug of war ensues

Dawn

Nascent rays emerge
coral horizon dazzles
a resplendent gift 

Stress

Vagaries of life
humdrum busyness engulfs
mindful to mind full 

Who am I?

Ephemeral life
the wandering soul questions
cryptic solutions 

~~~

Radhika has a blog, “radhikasreflection,” on WordPress. She has published a book of poetry and haiku titled Eclectic Verses. Her poems have been featured in The Kali Project, Spillwords, The Sound of Brilliance, Reflections & Revelations, The Indian Periodical, Pure Haiku, and many other online platforms. Radhika was first featured in 2020 and then again in 2022. She was a 2022 Pushcart prize nominee for her piece Anxiety. You can find all her features and reblogs HERE.

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If you’d like to be featured on The Short of It in the future,
click here for the submission guidelines.

– Vol 1 The Sound of Brilliance and Vol 2 Reflections & Revelations on Amazon