How to Burn Like a Star by Joshua Walker
“They don’t tell you this, / but when a star dies, / it burns so hot, / the atoms forget themselves.” – excerpt from How to Burn Like a Star, poetry by Joshua Walker #TheMetaworker
Author: The Metaworker
We are The Metaworker, an online literary magazine where great stories are forged.
Our mission is to publish great things to read. Send us the stuff you don’t think will be published anywhere else. We want new ideas, words that make us ponder, narratives that upend stereotypes. We don’t care if you’re an established writer or someone who’s never been published before, if you're a student or returning to writing after a career in something else, if you're 16 or 80, if you live in the United States, in India, in New Zealand, in Mexico – if you’ve got something you think needs to be shared with the world, submit it to us!
We publish prose, poetry, art, and more on our website every Monday at noon PST, plus we sometimes post fun extras (like our podcast episodes) on Wednesdays or Fridays.
Optdemised by Ben Sperduto
“At some point, we realized writing was just another technical problem.” – excerpt from Optdemised, fiction by Ben Sperduto #TheMetaworker
Accidents of Chance by Grace Lynn
“The wind unspools a thousand birds taking flight. / A fierce frigate broadens her wings across the sky” – excerpt from Accidents of Chance, poetry by Grace Lynn #TheMetaworker
The Right to Die by Jimmy Saekki
“a splash of incendiary slugs / and a floral pattern of blood” – excerpt from The Right to Die, poetry by Jimmy Saekki #TheMetaworker
Gradual by Linnea Peterson
“I join you and your friends in a game that is not a game, a joyous riot of energy and sound with no goal but the enjoyment itself.” – excerpt from Gradual, fiction by Linnea Peterson #TheMetaworker
Alex is Typing by Wyn Archer
“The chat alert dings. I take a sip of my vodka-with-vodka and open the message.” – excerpt from Alex is Typing, fiction by Wyn Archer #TheMetaworker
The Bard Buys a Pair of Levi’s by Joshua Walker
“They say every man breaks somewhere. / Mine was the dressing room at Target.” – excerpt from The Bard Buys a Pair of Levi’s, poetry by Joshua Walker #TheMetaworker
Lost Property by Gracie Jones
“On the train, they find a strand of my brown hair” – excerpt from Lost Property, poetry by Gracie Jones #TheMetaworker
The Spirit and Breath of The Metaworker by Melissa Reynolds
Continuing our celebration of 10 years of #TheMetaworker, we present this interview with Cerid Jones, self-proclaimed “international editor”, about her creative contributions to our magazine.
Monuments and What They Stand For by Toma Zbrizher
“Our history is brutal and unjust. So why do we insist on memorializing these injustices?” – excerpt from Monuments and What They Stand For, non-fiction by Toma Zbrizher #TheMetaworker
When Your Life Leaves You by Chuck Rybak
“It starts spending nights in towns / with names you despise” – excerpt from When Your Life Leaves You, poetry by Chuck Rybak #TheMetaworker
At the Edge of the Mountain by Marwa Radi Abu Raida
“I climbed you, / O cold mountain / and just as I neared the summit, / I lost my fingers.” – excerpt from At the Edge of the Mountain, poetry by Marwa Radi Abu Raida #TheMetaworker
Butthole Blue Ribbon by Dustin King
“Our assholes aren’t so special, / buttcheeks the real innovation.” – excerpt from Butthole Blue Ribbon, poetry by Dustin King #TheMetaworker
Memories and Moonlight by JH Tomen
“What I most liked…was the golden glow my place had when the sunlight hit the windows. It was like being on the inside of an egg, the world holding me in its warm embrace until I hatched.” – excerpt from Memories and Moonlight, speculative fiction by JH Tomen #TheMetaworker
In the Garden by Jennifer Weigel
“In the Garden”, black and white photography by Jennifer Weigel #TheMetaworker
Alizeh by Jimmy Saekki
“On our beach-front property / of bamboo tent-poles and plastic tarp / we celebrate our anniversary.” – excerpt from Alizeh, poetry by Jimmy Saekki #TheMetaworker
260 Miles, as the Crow Flies, Between Greenfield, Massachusetts and Rochester, New York by Laura Sackton
“So we’re talking first loves and the stories / they told us about the places that made them” – excerpt from 260 Miles, as the Crow Flies, poetry by Laura Sackton #TheMetaworker
Whisper of Lightning by Jonathan Michael Saucedo
“A Fourth of July reflection on friendship, memory, and what stays with us.” – Whisper of Lightning, nonfiction by Jonathan Michael Saucedo #TheMetaworker
Farewell to Beach Town in Asturias by Dolo Diaz
“Bridal veils of surf unfurl / with the cadence / of weddings in June” – excerpt from Farewell to Beach Town in Asturias, poetry by Dolo Diaz
The Leash of Tartarus Squeezes up the Spine to Besiege the Head by Robin Wyatt Dunn
“this is a transcript of a video game / which is an adaptation from a movie / which is a download from a divine source” – excerpt from The Leash of Tartarus Squeezes up the Spine to Besiege the Head, poetry by Robin Wyatt Dunn #TheMetaworker
Doppelgangers, When the Fetus-eaters Came, & Attaboy by Angelo Bariga Allito
Three micro fiction pieces by Angelo Bariga Allito #TheMetaworker
Someone I love has vanished & that is why I’m in the detergent aisle of the corner store by Rowan Tate
“as if scent could summon presence, as if blue plastic jugs / might carry memory like vessels across a quiet Styx.” – excerpt from Someone I love has vanished & that is why I’m in the detergent aisle of the corner store, poetry by Rowan Tate
Experiences at AWP by M.R. Lehman Wiens, Caitlin O’Halloran, & Elena Lucia Perez
Read three experiences from the AWP conference by M.R. Lehman Wiens, Caitlin O’Halloran, and Elena Lucia Perez #TheMetaworker #AWP
Live Man Laughing by Giancarlo Malchiodi
“But I’m still here / snapping selfies” – excerpt from Live Man Laughing, poetry by Giancarlo Malchiodi #TheMetaworker
Ice Cream, Porch, & Audacity by K Spicka
Ice Cream, Porch, & Audacity, micro poetry by K Spicka #TheMetaworker
Wave Theory by Douglas Twells
“a myriad of waves cross / and re-cross Channel Lake.” – excerpt from Wave Theory, poetry by Douglas Twells #TheMetaworker
Lost and by Lara Waas
“I steal cats for money. That’s right. I select a satisfactory feline, wait for night to fall, and pick it up like other people pick up a penny they find on the street.” – excerpt from Lost and, fiction by Lara Wass #TheMetaworker
exit wound by Dara Goodale
“she aimed for soft tissue / her verbal viewfinder / aligned perfectly with my aorta” – excerpt from exit wound, poetry by Dara Goodale
The Steady Heartbeat of The Metaworker by Melissa Reynolds
Celebrate 10 years of #TheMetaworker with a deep dive into the journey of co-founder Elena. Discover the heart, the history, and the kindness behind our ten-year milestone.
Holding My Breath All Night Long by Dolo Diaz
“The old house / cracks its knuckles / all night long.” – excerpt from Holding My Breath All Night Long, poetry by Dolo Diaz
How to Make Friends with Grubs by Stephanie Jones
“Shift the stone with both hands. Block the sun’s glare from blinding or burning them.” – excerpt from How to Make Friends with Grubs, poetry by Stephanie Jones
Turning 30, Motel Light, and Other Illusions by Rowan Tate
“I was supposed to be / someone by then, but mostly I was / a person who hoarded notebooks” – excerpt from Turning 30, Motel Light, and Other Illusions, poetry by Rowan Tate
Sutures by AJ Ryland
“I noticed something fall into the sink. I found with some astonishment that it was my left ear, perfectly detached.” – excerpt from Sutures, fiction by AJ Ryland #TheMetaworker
rapunzel/refugees/slavic by Linda Scheller
“caught / they put me in a cell / i was forced to work / in retribution / my children were led away / for the komandant” – excerpt from rapunzel/refugees/slavic, a braided poem by Linda Scheller
shinigami by Kimmy Chang
“rank‑incense threads snag my throat.
I bow—knees lock—sweat turns salt‑sharp.” – excerpt from shinigami, poetry by Kimmy Chang #TheMetaworker
Eight of Wands by Caiti Quatmann
“listen i was slower once full / of syrup & warnings I used / to believe in build-up sent / my secrets by mail” – excerpt from Eight of Wands, poetry by Caiti Quatmann
The Metaworker Podcast | 026 The Draft I Buried: Nancy Noelke & Bryce Painter
Elena, Mel, and Cerid speak with Nancy Noelke and Bryce Painter about unfinished work—those ‘buried’ drafts. #TheMetaworker #podcast
A Guide to the Heal-By-Scream Method by Chelsea Sutton
“Scream right into the hole. It feels great.” Kathie puts a light, practiced hand on my shoulder… “I’m trying,” I say, but I’m not screaming, the screaming is not coming. – excerpt from A Guide to the Heal-By-Scream Method, fiction by Chelsea Sutton
2025 Pushcart Prize Nominations
Announcing our nominations for the 2025 Pushcart Prize! #TheMetaworker
Change Of Residence, or Donor’s Tragedy by Marc Darnell
“I am dark navigator / where they say love dwells” – excerpt from Change Of Residence, poetry by Marc Darnell #TheMetaworker
An Interstellar Genus of Needing by Nicholas Alti
“These cases end / in bursts like / transitions in rhythm…” – excerpt from An Interstellar Genus of Needing, poetry by Nicholas Alti
If Daphne Monet Were to Converse with bell hooks by Ron L. Dowell
If Daphne Monet were to converse with bell hooks, poetry by Ron L. Dowell #TheMetaworker
Midnight in the Gingerbread House by Linda Scheller
“Runes are scratched on gingerbread walls
in the stammering darkness.” – excerpt from Midnight in the Gingerbread House, poetry by Linda Scheller #TheMetaworker
King of Pentacles by Caiti Quatmann
“wealth is sometimes confused with gravity. both pull.” – excerpt from King of Pentacles, poetry by Caiti Quatmann #TheMetaworker
Trip to Fallsburg by Gillian Fletcher
“I hadn’t planned to leave the city…but after elbowing through…tourists, even a day’s escape sounded like heaven.” – excerpt from Trip to Fallsburg, fiction by Gillian Fletcher #TheMetaworker
Samaritan by Matthew E. Henry
“He needs to regain control. No one knows he took her. There’s no one behind them following. He’s safe.” – excerpt from Samaritan, fiction by Matthew E. Henry
Measured in Ghosts by Tara Hashagen
“The doctor speaks in percentages…as if my body is suddenly a math problem to be solved.” – excerpt from Measured in Ghosts, non-fiction by Tara Hashagen
Available Space by Shannon Cates
“A body speaks in fabric…” – excerpt from Available Space, visual poetry by Shannon Cates
Bug Girl by Taylor R. Kelley
“When I was eight I had a friend who ate bugs.” – excerpt from Bug Girl, fiction by Taylor Kelley #TheMetaworker
Accusations of a Half-Lover by Tejal Doshi
“That one, she’s got nails sharp, mouth sharp, / and a heart blunter.” – excerpt from Accusations by a Half-Lover, poetry by Tejal Doshi
At Play: A Book Review by Aedan Ferrara
At Play: A Book Review by Aedan Ferrara #TheMetaworker #bookreview #shortstories
does anybody know by Jennifer Lubke
“On the neighborhood page they argue about outdoor cats and songbirds, carpenter bee traps and pollinators.” – excerpt from does anybody know, prose poetry by Jennifer Lubke #TheMetaworker
Falling in Love Inside a Stray Hot Sauce Packet by Sarp Sozdinler
“It was dark, warm, and sticky in there.” – excerpt from Falling in Love Inside a Stray Hot Sauce Packet, micro fiction by Sarp Sozdinler
Of Plum and Cherry by Shannon Cates
“moonish, midnight flesh / swollen with frost, / the plum blooms melodramatic…” – excerpt from Of Plum and Cherry, poetry by Shannon Cates #TheMetaworker
The Side Wound of Christ is Intentionally Vaginal by Shivani Kshirsagar
“‘I am sure…’ I started, exhaling in turn, watching the plumes dress their face. ‘I am sure, gods are like…Let me put it this way. Gods,’ I tried again, swallowing, the smoke catching me in my throat…” – excerpt from The Side Wound of Christ is Intentionally Vaginal, fiction by Shivani Kshirsagar #TheMetaworker
I’m Okay by Ed Kratz
“Families and partners mill about in the sun and the warm air. No one is with me. Not anymore.” – exerpt from I’m Okay, non-fiction by Ed Kratz #MetaworkerMonday
Yoko by DS Maolalai
“we’re watching that Beatles / documentary. Get Back. / it’s pretty good generally.” – excerpt from Yoko, poetry by DS Maolalai #MetaworkerMonday
Kicker Kids by Tejal Doshi
“we carve what we call secret tongues / into the tender skin of trees, / fingernails packed with earth / and vows strung like webs.” – excerpt from “Kicker Kids, poetry by Tejal Doshi
Abecedarian Lament by M.R. Lehman Wiens
“…echoes of Sunday School pull me from my book to the unyielding curve of a church bench.” – excerpt from “Abecedarian Lament”, creative non-fiction by M.R. Lehman Wiens #MetaworkerMonday
gelato rain by Azure Brandi
“my shadow slips like fallen light into the gelato rain of second grade ants in raisin boxes” – excerpt from Gelato Rain, poetry by Azure Brandi #TheMetaworker
On the Train from Charlotte by M. C. Tuggle
“I find the station where the long tracks meet. / It’s burrowed beside an old steel mill…” excerpt from On the Train to Charlotte, poetry by M. C. Tuggle #TheMetaworker
Micro Fiction by Dana Wall
“She thinks we can’t see her press her palm against the blank spaces.” – excerpt from micro fiction by Dana Wall
Sharh on Sahih al-Bukhari 5460 by Reyzl Grace
“you rise, / lay your arms like the seam / of the first dawn across / my shoulders and sigh with the robins,” excerpt from Sharh on on Sahih al-Bukhari 5460, poetry by Reyzl Grace #TheMetaworker
Emerald in the Seventies by Joan Slatoff
“Emerald did not tell Harrison that she worked at BIT, the London underground information service.” excerpt from Emerald in the Seventies, fiction by Joan Slatoff #TheMetaworker
Outsourcing by DS Maolalai
“and the beer / tastes of bathwater / but water is not safe / to drink, and so / here we are” excerpt from Outsourcing, poetry by DS Maolalai #TheMetaworker
Micro Fiction by Erin Matheson Ritchie
Micro Fiction by Erin Matheson Ritchie #TheMetaworker
Purpose and Apex Beat by Rashmi Bhopi
“Dragging the laundry basket to the washer, she saw an ant meander on the kitchen top.” – excerpt from micro fiction by Rashmi Bhopi #TheMetaworker
Sharh on Sunan Ibn Majah 3914 by Reyzl Grace
“For a moment, / the tip of your finger / lights / on the edge of my hand…” – excerpt from Sharh on Sunan Ibn Majah 3914, poetry by Reyzl Grace #TheMetaworker
Monday Morning by Mark J. Mitchell
“she asked eggs / for an answer / they could not give.” – excerpt from Monday Morning, poetry by Mark J. Mitchell #TheMetaworker
To find your grandmother’s house by Yev Gelman
“walk the highway until you see the billboard ad of the same two politicians, year-marked with bad graffiti and dust…” – excerpt from To find your grandmother’s house, poetry by Yev Gelman #TheMetaworker
and i agree by Breton Lalama
and i agree, a micro poem by Breton Lalama #TheMetaworker #MetaworkerMonday
The Finding Momo Birthday by Madlynn Haber
“My mother’s ninety-fifth birthday was in late June. I couldn’t let the occasion pass unnoticed, regardless of her condition.” – excerpt from The Finding Momo Birthday, creative nonfiction by Madlynn Haber #TheMetaworker
little mercies by Arushi (Aera) Rege
“When I was dying, I dreamed of ice cold matcha, a single shot of espresso, a prayer to god that I would lose another five pounds.” – excerpt from Little Mercies, fiction by Arushi (Aera) Rege #TheMetaworker
Swerve (you’re hit) by Charles Sutphin
“For a dog or a squirrel you might hit the brakes, but for something so small, you lift your foot and hope for the best.” – excerpt from Swerve (you’re hit), Flash Fiction by Charles Sutphin #TheMetaworker #ForgeFriday
Through the Motions by Diane Funston
“The panther paces her cage / Heavy velvet paws pad the cell / back and. forth / left. and right.” – excerpt from Through the Motions, poetry by Diane Funston #TheMetaworker
Light the Fire by LeAnna McEuen
“Tonight we burn away the stain / We bid farewell to the profane” – excerpt from Light the Fire, poetry by LeAnna McEuen. #TheMetaworker
The Metaworker Podcast | 025 The Draft I Buried: Kathryn Temple & Matthew Smallwood
Elena, Mel, and Cerid speak with Kathryn Temple and Matthew Smallwood about unfinished work. #TheMetaworkerPodcast
Fragments of Life by Sonnet Mondal
“The musical instruments
in the wooden cabinet are still alive.” – excerpt from “Fragments of Life”, poetry by Sonnet Mondal #TheMetaworker
Fiction / Micro / Speculative
Five Micro-Fictions by Ken Poyner
“Our pond monster is the best. He waits under unruffled water, eyes only visible if you grow too close…” excerpt from micro fiction by Ken Poyner #TheMetaworker
Rotten by Bran Winkler
“The swirling tendrils of smoke lifted from the cigarette, manifesting into clouds that hung heavy and low in the troposphere.” – excerpt from Rotten, fiction by Bran Winkler @local__skunk #TheMetaworker
Song for the Diagnoses by Christa Fairbrother
“A medical diagnosis is a baptism into a new name.” – excerpt from Song for the Diagnoses, poetry by Christa Fairbrother
Peonies by Kevin Armor Harris
Peonies, micro fiction by Kevin Armor Harris #TheMetaworker
Exhibits in Orbit by Paige Eaton
“In a different reality a murder encompasses the tree / of metal spires, lining the ground with pebbles” excerpt from Exhibits in Orbit, poetry by Paige M Eaton #TheMetaworker
Get Outta There by Avery Thompson
“Honestly, though, what am I supposed to do / If I’m not present in my poems?” excerpt from “Get Outta There” poetry by Avery Thompson #TheMetaworker #MetaworkerMonday
Puppeteering by Jackson Mattocks
“A few months into my master’s program, each day had become just another attempt at acting human.” – excerpt from Puppeteering, non-fiction by Jackson Mattocks #TheMetaworker
Blue Boy by Anthony Ikeh
“i am fond of searching / for pearls amidst / thorns…” – excerpt from Blue Boy, poetry by Anthony Ikeh #TheMetaworker
Six-Word Stories by Matthew Kasper
Six-Word Stories by Matthew Kasper #TheMetaworker #microwriting
Sierra Leone, 1982 by Freddi Gralle
“my parents still the effortless rulers of our simple cement house / in the West-African village my brother – the gentle historian” – excerpt from Sierra Leone, 1982 by Freddi Gralle #TheMetaworker #MetaworkerMonday
The Dead Are Not Dead: A Review by Lena Bramsen of the Afrofuturistic Graphic Novel, Zana
“Zana imagines an Afrofuturistic scenario set in 2048, where Nelson Mandela had died while imprisoned… and the entire continent finds itself in a racist apartheid.” #MetaworkerMonday
Princess and Dragon by Amy Forstadt
“Did you know I killed a dragon once? / A bully made of scales and fire” – excerpt from Princess and Dragon, poetry by Amy Forstadt #TheMetaworker #MetaworkerMonday
Lunch At Café 86 by Michael Smith
“The customer ordered the fish and chips, and it all seemed normal until I delivered the fish and chips and he asked for vinegar.” – excerpt from Lunch At Café 86, fiction by Michael Smith #TheMetaworker #MetaworkerMonday
The Metaworker Podcast | 023 Pushcart Prize Nominees, Part 1
Listen to the newest podcast episode! Elena, Mel, and Cerid discuss three of their nominees for the 2024 Pushcart Prize, plus readings and interviews with the authors. #TheMetaworker
Anatomy of a Memory by Anthony Ikeh
“in this dream we’re all sharp objects and try, please, dance with me & ignore the burning roof.” – excerpt from Anatomy of a Memory, poetry by Anthony Ikeh #TheMetaworker #MetaworkerMonday
Daylight under the Geofence by Robin Wyatt Dunn
“I let them into the library to steal the books. They say they’re going to digitize everything. In time, we can write our own.” – excerpt from Daylight under the Geofence, speculative fiction by Robin Wyatt Dunn #TheMetaworker #ForgeFriday
Mother and Child by Julie Mota Kondi
artwork by Julie Mota Kondi #TheMetaworker #MetaworkerMonday