25 years of creative writing on health, illness, and healing

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— Everything BLR

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— A new set of great reads with each click —

  • fiction
  • nonfiction
  • poetry
  • Commotio Cordis

    Commotio Cordis

    by Pria Anand. “Lydia dreamt, too. She dreamt of Carnivale, of the motorcade, motorcycles without mufflers and pickup trucks hung with paper cutouts circling the island.” // continue reading

  • A Brutal Sweetness

    A Brutal Sweetness

    by Abby Nance. “Last night my breath changed from quiet to labored heaving. We all wonder: will this be my last bath?” // continue reading

  • The Veil Thins

    The Veil Thins

    by Fiona Ennis. “She was being tugged somewhere unearthly, towards a radiant light source, the same colour as those long fluorescent white lights that buzzed in the kitchen in the convent.” // continue reading

  • Presence of Another

    Presence of Another

    by Amanda Leskovac. “The nurses in the ICU had said I was going to rehabilitation, but since I’ve only heard rehab synonymous with addicts, I have no idea what to expect. The huge collar around my neck prevents me from… // continue reading

  • Obligation

    Obligation

    by Leopold Szor. “No wonder that now, on the streets of Lvov, one could see smiles on the faces looking out the windows. Theirs was a joy of expectation. The hour of revenge was coming! The Jews of Lvov already… // continue reading

  • Cheyanne

    Cheyanne

    by Margaret Brosnahan. “A dozen dead ponies hung from the ceiling, strung up by chains at each end, their ragged bodies in nose-to-tail formation like a ghoulish merry-go-round…” // continue reading

  • On January 24th*

    On January 24th*

    by Lauren K. Alleyne. “It’s been proven, they say— / the bills like a line of ants, / the glamour of the new year / grown dull like a tin ring…” // continue reading

  • Blood Test

    Blood Test

    by Judith Harris. “These lone fires will never die out. / the roses still stagger in the embers; / Light is prolific, everywhere.” // continue reading

  • The Call

    The Call

    by Terry M. Dugan. “I could tell from his voice / something was horribly wrong. / I’m okay he said over and over / in a tone that told me he was anything but.” // continue reading

As featured on PBS News Hour’s CANVAS Series

Watch PBS News Hour’s Jeffrey Brown report on BLR’s 25th Anniversary, featuring BLR Editor Danielle Ofri and past BLR writers reflecting on why poetry, storytelling, and writing matter, especially in moments of illness.

Whiting Award Winner

BLR was awarded a Whiting Literary Magazine Prize for “excellence in publishing, advocacy for writers, and a unique contribution to the strength of the overall literary community.”

Praise & Recognition