FN – Call for “Short Takes” Submissions to Persimmon Tree: An Online Magazine of the Arts by Women Over Sixty on the Theme: Putting It All Away

There comes a time when we must put away all the stuff that has grown around us, a time for clearing the decks. Often, that means cleaning out the closet or the so-called “guest” room, or putting away last season’s clothes. It can equally refer to our lives: to freeing ourselves from the overbearing or annoying people who just make us feel bad, or the surfeit of tasks and obligations we’ve taken on (“I’m just a gal who can’t say no”). Or it can refer to our inner selves: it can mean breaking old, bad habits, or silencing the squalling inner child. January is traditionally the moment for grand resolutions promising self-improvement, but fall is a season for new beginnings, too, with summer ending (in the northern hemisphere, at least) and school starting up again. What have you put away? What should you?

Projected publication date: Wednesday, September 17, 2025

Short Takes

Short Takes are usually short prose pieces, fiction or non-fiction (250-500 words), but can also be topical poetry, sometimes even drawings or photography. We’re especially interested in hearing about your experiences, but you can include your thoughts, dreams, ideas and opinions. Humor and irony are always appreciated!

Please read and follow these instructions carefully. We regret that we cannot accept any submission that does not follow these guidelines. In particular, make sure that the address on your email is correct.

Your submission must be under 500 words. Submit it to us as a Word document; be sure your name, address, phone number, and email address are all in the Word document. Send us the document by an email addressed to shorttakes@persimmontree.org, and type “Short Take” in the subject line of the email.

Include a headshot and short bio (no more than 50 words) in the email.

You must be subscribed to submit; click here to subscribe. Submissions and subscriptions are free.