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P=Poetry, N=Nonfiction, F=Fiction
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PFN – Arboreal Literary Magazine Seeking Submissions on the Theme of “Fresh Hell”
Issue No. 04 Theme: Fresh Hell
The theme for our fourth issue, Fresh Hell, comes from a famous quotation attributed to wisecracking American satirist Dorothy Parker:
[Parker’s] way of looking at life was incurably pessimistic. Confronted by the unknown, she immediately prepared for the worst. Ordinary occurrences—the doorbell or a ringing telephone—made her wonder “What fresh hell is this?”
The phrase “fresh hell” embodies the intersection of humor and despair in the face of life’s twists and turns. We invite you to respond to this theme by responding to the tumultuous and unpredictable facets of human experience—personal, social, cultural, global, or otherwise.
This might mean delving into intimate encounters with life’s daily challenges. Or dissecting the absurdities of our world, casting a light on its more comically tragic elements. Maybe you have a pessimistic satirical take on life’s inherent chaos. Or perhaps your work explores personal growth our of the depths of fresh hells.
As always, these are merely suggestions to get you thinking about the theme. Indeed, we always appreciate thematic angles we haven’t considered!
Poetry
- Please limit poetry submissions to 4 poems.
- We do not accept translations.
- All poems should be included in a single document, each poem starting on a separate page.
Fiction
- Please limit fiction submissions to a single short story of no more than 4,000 words.
Nonfiction
- Please limit nonfiction submissions to a single essay of no more than 4,000 words.