The two noble mountaineers, weighed down by their leathers and hoods and frost-encrusted beards, were less than an arm's reach apart and within touching distance of the summit; yet the brutal, howling, all-engulfing blizzard made both distances seem insurmountable. “Victor!” Dudley screamed over the torrent of snow, both his voice and parched lips cracking with … Continue reading May Microfiction Contest: Gold Winner: “Breadcrumbs” by Scott Tierney
May Microfiction Contest: Silver Winner: “The Vampire Child” by Oliver Kleyer
When the vampire hunter finally managed to break open the door and enter the tomb, the vampires had already abandoned it. Coffins were overturned; lids fallen to the floor. The hunter looked around. It seemed like there was nothing to do for him here anymore. Then he saw something move behind a coffin. Slowly, he … Continue reading May Microfiction Contest: Silver Winner: “The Vampire Child” by Oliver Kleyer
May Microfiction Contest: Bronze Winner: “Under the Moonglade” by Jacob Young
On the beach, we dreamed of our remains. In a millennium, would they find them? Would they find the ash moon in the sand where a fire once singed the peach fuzz on our cheeks, when we made believe we were troglodytes, our beer bottles wedged in dunes? They could trace our steps along the … Continue reading May Microfiction Contest: Bronze Winner: “Under the Moonglade” by Jacob Young
Winners of the May Contest
Here are the winners of our fifth 2025 Contest! The dates next to their names will be the day their work will be posted to our website. 29: Bronze Winner: Jacob Young 30: Silver Winner: Oliver Kleyer 31: Gold Winner: Scott Tierney Thank you to everyone who entered into our contest!
“Gratitudes” by Channie Greenberg Out Now!
Some of the art that was originally in The Academy of the Heart and Mind is now in Greenberg's newest book, Gratitudes: Faith-Based Responses to Oct. 7th https://www.amazon.com/Gratitudes-KJ-Hannah-Greenberg/dp/B0F6SYX8GR/?encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=lE9m7&content-id=amzn1.sym.c2cf8313-b86b-4327-9de4-9398adaa570b:amzn1.symc.a68f4ca3-28dc-4388-a2cf-24672c480d8f&pf_rd_p=c2cf8313-b86b-4327-9de4-9398adaa570b&pf_rd_r=6TCD0P5F3699GNE1WQAZ&pd_rd_wg=7eFu9&pd_rd_r=1a3cf086-0b78-40ee-9c58-e4736fe9b9ae&ref=pd_hp_d_atf_ci_mcx_mr_ca_hp_atf_d
April Poetry Contest: Gold Winner: “What I Write” by Matthew Lee
My poetry is written in the dark.A promised secrecy — thatis my antidote to persisted remembrance,an echolalia of incomplete things.I give myself out. In my momentof vulnerability, the lonely hour,I think I see before me a wallpaperof a thousand thundering eyes,boring bullet-holes into my sternum.But they will find no heart, for I have alreadylaid it … Continue reading April Poetry Contest: Gold Winner: “What I Write” by Matthew Lee
April Poetry Contest: Bronze Winner: “What Holiness Lay in Bug Bodies” by Salem Burdett
the bug bodied boy sweptthe once green now brownbarren ground with tiny dirty handsjust like he once was swept picked from ground that once grew something and that something was beautiful once it must’ve been.he found a tiny bug body accidentally founditself in his careful hands and wondered how it would livehow would that body … Continue reading April Poetry Contest: Bronze Winner: “What Holiness Lay in Bug Bodies” by Salem Burdett
Spring Contest Poetry Co-Winner: “Jasmine Star” by Stephen Kingsnorth
I’m weary with this blanket wrapof fog or snow, ground war dead clogged,but then remember under feetthose sacrifices, autumn spread,the fallen as of golden youth,with winter hopes yet stratified’mongst mycorrhiza, worldwide web,while greys and browns are all around.Think aconite, hellebore,those lightning stars of yellow striketo break monotony of rimethat seals the prevalence of death.How dare … Continue reading Spring Contest Poetry Co-Winner: “Jasmine Star” by Stephen Kingsnorth
Spring Contest Fiction Winner: “Solar Life” by Gail Brown
Sunlight peeked over the horizon. Elanora pushed the woven grass curtain back. No need to call Traden or Shadel from onvine chatting with distant friends. The weather forecast for today was bright sunshine for a full eight hours. She tapped her final vine mail of the night. The vine quivered as the message shifted off … Continue reading Spring Contest Fiction Winner: “Solar Life” by Gail Brown
Spring Competition Poetry Co-Winner: “Spring’s Maestro” by Vanaja Malathy
On a pleasant spring daya little brown bird appearedfrom behind the green leafy screen reddish tail of rusty tone, brown chest and belly white-gray throat…the colors adding neither beauty nor glamor the unassuming bird perched unnoticed on the central branchthe bird spread its wings a littleclosed its eyes in meditationits throat swelled the deep breath … Continue reading Spring Competition Poetry Co-Winner: “Spring’s Maestro” by Vanaja Malathy
Academy of the Heart And Mind 