Discover Connection In the Deep
Poetry comes from the deep, where the journey forward is never a straight line. It twists and bends and takes with it burdens that one must carry. Call it “luggage”, or “water up the mountain”, or even another name for the weight of a life lived where choice gives way to consequence, be it growth or folly.
Poems are reflections of the stories of the journey that define us, the hard truths that shape us with scars and burns, that bruise us and batter us into something more resilient. Where that truth goes from there is what makes up the beauty of life, and poetry has often been considered the purest form of expression.
Theme and Call
If you are a poet in the United States, we ask that you share that expression with us, and our Ephemeral Aperture, a humble Oregon based imprint for poetry, short stories, and multimedia projects that share journeys meant to reflect perspectives. This collection is named, “In the Deep”, after the quote from William James, “We are like islands in the sea, separate on the surface but connected in the deep.”
That is the theme, one oriented around sharing pain and poignant moments of life that help one to grow and evolve – the suffering and emotions that help to spark art in the first place. We do not put any limitations on the topics of the pain and ask that you keep safety in mind while writing and sharing these pieces.
Basics on Submissions
Each artist is able to submit 3 pieces, and there are no fees associated with participation. If money is made from the collection, the funds will support our next project after small gifts to artists. The deadline is open until August 30th, 2026, or until we feel we have enough folks to feature around 30-50 artists in the book. No agent required!
Please check out our Guidelines for the collection here, and reach out to communitystudio@pantheonarts.org if you have any questions not answered in the guidelines or the form to submit, found here.
Find both links on our website, as well!
Location
Portland, OR
Opportunity Region
National
Commitment
Volunteer
Contact Email
communitystudio@pantheonarts.org