WINTER IN
AMERICA (STILL
call for submissions
The people know, it's winter/ Lord knows / It’s winter in America
And ain't nobody fighting / ’Cause nobody knows what to save…
– Gil Scott-Heron, Winter in America
During the administration of the 47th President of the United States, the abrogations of the Constitution, violations of human rights, the dismantling of the U.S. Federal government, abdication of Habeas Corpus, the deportation of USAmerican citizens and the deployment of the military into cities is creating a constitutional and cultural crisis that has global implications. Sonia Sanchez said that “the poet is the creator of social values.” Ed Sanders: “the content of history will be poetry.” A group of four poets/editors represent diverse aesthetics and value the importance of providing space for conversations across difference(s) to enlarge the communities of resistance. We seek submissions of poetry, prose and/or artwork in response to the political crisis in the United States. We would prefer reflective rather than reactive work.
A Deeper Reflection
The first Winter in America anthology sought to be reflective rather than reactive, and to promote compassion in the face of division. With Winter in America (Still, we continue that spirit—calling for work that looks deeply into the aftermath of the 2024 election and its ongoing social, cultural, and personal consequences.
We welcome:
Poetry that meditates on where we are now, what endures, and how we carry both grief and hope.
Prose that reflects personal and collective experiences, offering narrative, essay, or hybrid forms of witness.
Artwork that explores justice, identity, resilience, silence, and resistance.
Voices across aesthetics and backgrounds—diverse, layered, and inclusive.
Abstract work welcome
This anthology is not about headlines, but about the quieter reverberations of political life in our daily experience—reflections that help us see not only the election’s impact, but also what it reveals about who we are, and who we might yet become.
Submission Guidelines
We seek poetry, prose, & art (black & white only) created since the Nov. 2024 election. Max. length of creative work (excluding bio and aesthetic statements): 5 pages. Can include more than one genre.
Submission window: Aug 31, 2025–Feb 28, 2026.
Include a bio AND a statement of aesthetics (approximately 100 words each)
Submit HERE to Winter in America (Still ℅ Carbonation Press. As a WORD DOCUMENT, include bio, aesthetic statement, and work in one document. Label your submission: last name, first name
Submit artwork in a second document in any image format (over 300 dpi preferred. Minimum size: 4.25 inches width). Label your submission: last name, first name, ARTWORK
Optional: attend a free (donations appreciated!) Zoom workshop where editors share their different aesthetics and provide prompts and advice for submitting to our second edition. The next workshop will occur Sunday, October 19, 12-2pm on Zoom. Check our workshops page for updates.