2025 “Fragility” Contest Winners

We also had FAR more submissions than ever before, which means that, sadly, with our small and all-volunteer staff, it is logistically unfeasible to respond individually to everyone who submitted their writing or art. 

However, please know that there were many “close calls” and much spirited debate among editors about the many merits of all the work that came in. 

Without further ado, our award winners this year were:

Troy Wong, "G Flip's pronouns are "they/them" (poetry)

Leigh Cuen, “Wild Horses” (nonfiction)

Marley Howard, “Freed Bird Freed People” (visual art)

We also had fantastic runners-up, whose work will also be published throughout the year:

Poetry:

Kris Michelle Diesness, “Through the Windows of Ghosts”

Zelda Knapp, "Someone Else's House"

Jonathan Endurance, “My Mother as a Crushed Eagle”

Josiane Kouagheu, "see the birds on my window"

Kathleen Hellen, “how it is”

Darla Himeles, "Panic at Victory & Vesper, Van Nuys”

Nonfiction:

Kathryn Shapiro, "On Powerlessness” 

Jan Edwards, “Ivan’s Story”

Nicole Jagusch, "I have to tell you"

Kira Córdova, “Dynamic Duo”

Bryana Fern, “The Art of Untaming”

Autumn Rozario Hall, "What Remains"

Gaia Patience Veenis, “Rats of the Sky”

Visual Art:

Désirée Jung, "lalangue"

Josie G, “Threaded Whispers” 

AmarA Kole, “Dandelion Dreams”

Amanda Yskamp, “Today 6,500 Years from Now”

Nasta Martyn, “Girl and dragon”

Our editors could not find consensus this round in the fiction and interview/critique/review categories, so the prize money for those will go back to the pool for next year’s contest. 

Please see our submissions page for more information about how and what to submit to us next summer (2026) as that time approaches.

Lastly, congratulations to everyone for the bravery it takes to send your work out into the world! We look forward to reading more from you soon.

Best,

The Editors