POETRY

Cortney Charleston offers that l sometimes love not only what you do, but what you don't do. 

Allow Raymond Gibson to charm you. 

Nels Hanson makes us consider that perhaps it is not the what but the how. 

Discover what is really disposable with Mark Allen Jenkins. 

Being human is a paradox, or so Vanessa Couto Johnson tells us. 

Andrew Mobbs suggests life is in the details and sometimes it's okay to improvise. 

Consider the limits of salvation and everything after with Ron Riekki. 

Ponder the power of movement with 
Anina Robb.

Justin Runge shows us where safety hides.

Explore the puzzling work of 
Gerard Sarnat.

There is a particular seasonality of love, or so Valerie Westmark tells us. 

Harlan Wheeler shares impressions of the evening. 

Diamond Woods offers three views of faith. 

It's all about perspective in Kirby Wright's snapshot of a marriage.


FICTION

Darlene Campos gives a whole new meaning to the phrase, "Christmas is coming!"

Melissa Darcey knows that a house is not necessarily a home.

Explore whiskey, roses, and perfume with Johanna DeBiase. 

Ryan Dempsey knows that we belong somewhere when we can no longer smell its odors.

Turn the temperature down and pop a few Xanax with L. Rose Givens.

Jess Gonzalez sees the irony in angering our lovers.

Carol Guess and Kelly Magee have paired up to create a stunning work of magical realism.

Paul Handley knows how hilariously disturbing a misunderstanding can be.

"I called my wife's number today," David Hutt writes. "It wasn't her that answered, of course. She was buried months ago."

Matt Kolbet understands that it's all about compromise.

Jason Primm teaches that sometimes the past should stay in the past.

"My God, he's witnessed two deaths in two days," Guinotte Wise writes. "Does he think he caused this one?"

MULTIMEDIA 

Clint Inman shows us the colors of the city in his "Uptown Series."

Listen to Joel Patterson's story of love and deceit--as told through the eyes of a toddler with an interesting gift.

Dave Petraglia finds beauty in everyday objects, and makes us laugh with a comic strip.




CREATIVE NONFICTION

A transplant to Florida, Rita Ciresi weathers the state's storms and idiosyncrasies like a native.

George Dila knows that dreams are more important than talents.

John Gist's poignant essay explores the rift between men and the superheroes residing among them.

Any creation, from sculpting to childbirth, must involve a bit of sacrifice, and Bernard Grant may have to put own mother on the pyre for his art.

When Katja Huru leaves her native Finland for the old American Southwest, she's on the lookout for girls and ghosts and will leave with memories of at least one of them.

Dave Petraglia takes us on a whimsical trip into the future of that most American of passions--the vehicle.

When a shooting occurs in her high school, Molly Ruddell may lose more than just her appetite.

Robyn Segal trashes her neighborhood's notions about family togetherness.

Penn Stewart falls in love with his wife all over again, even knowing that her heart may soon be in the wrong place.

Kathryn Sukalich appreciates being in the moment and taking in her surroundings.

Crystal Lane Swift eulogizes a friendship, and finds herself in the process.

Think you've seen it all?  Olivia Tandon's newest artistic endeavor may surprise you.

Linda Wisniewski dances her way through lives past, present and future.

You are presently reading the May 2014 issue of Gravel. 

It was written by the names you see to the left of this little wall of text, and edited by graduate students of the MFA program in creative writing at the University of Arkansas at Monticello.



If you're interested in submitting to this literary journal, this is where you want to click. If you want to follow us on Twitter, which you probably do, here you go. If you want to Like us, which is probably the neediest verb/noun device in modern history, but I mean, we really do want you to like us and we could probably use the traffic on Facebook, well this is the place. 

We are slowly building our blog, so please join in.

Click Archives to check out the great work we've published in the past.