For Snapdragon Journal, 2022 is “A Year of Magic,” as we explore "pleasure," "place," "innovation," and "elements," over the course of our quarterly issues. These themes represent the hope we're feeling following last year’s “Grief Series,” which helped us process some of the overwhelming pain and loss presented by the COVID-19 pandemic. We recognize that grief isn't linear, simple or something that can be wrapped up in a year. Healing is holistic and this year we want to consider the joy the is desired and experienced.

 

Send us your best new or previously published poetry, creative nonfiction, or photography/digital art on the theme "ELEMENTS" to be included in our Winter issue due in December 2022 (submission window is October 1-15). Read guidelines below before submitting.

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Reflect on the word "elements." What does it mean to you? We welcome diverse interpretations of this theme, especially as they relate to the broad concept of "healing," whether that be healing on the individual or collective level.

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“Notice that the stiffest tree is most easily cracked, while the bamboo or willow survives by bending with the wind.” — Bruce Lee
"There are some things you learn best in calm, and some in storm." — Willa Cather
“Don’t dismiss the elements. Water soothes and heals. Air refreshes and  revives. Earth grounds and holds. Fire is a burning reminder of our own will and creative power. Swallow their spells. There’s a certain sweet  comfort in knowing that you belong to them all.”  ― Victoria Erickson
“even a scientist can’t help thinking of the Periodic Table as a zoo of  one-of-a-kind animals conceived by Dr. Seuss. How else could we believe  that sodium is a poisonous, reactive metal that you can cut with a  butter-knife, while pure chlorine is a smelly, deadly gas, yet when  added together make sodium chloride, a harmless, biologically essential  compound better known as table salt? Or how about hydrogen and oxygen?  One is an explosive gas, and the other promotes violent combustion, yet  the two combined make liquid water, which puts out fires.” ― Neil deGrasse Tyson
"To have faith is to trust yourself to the  water. When you swim you don't grab hold of the water, because if you do  you will sink and drown. Instead you relax, and float." ― Alan Watts
“Is it possible to penetrate the Eighteen Elements in another way?' and  the Buddha replied, "Yes, we can say that there are Six Elements ."  These are the Four Great Elements (mahabhuta ) of earth, water, fire,  and air, plus space and consciousness. All physical phenomena are made  up of these Six Elements. If we observe these Six Elements inside us and  around us, we see that we are not separate from the universe.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh
"The two elements the  traveler first captures in the big city are extra human architecture and furious rhythm. Geometry and anguish." ― Federico Garcia Lorca
“Wordless, Infinite — You. You intensify everything. You are fire burning all that is left of my heart.” ― Frida Kahlo