New issue!
Featuring work from:
Athena Bermudez
Bailey Francis
Brianna A. Luby
Caitlyn Wierzbick
Chandni Sharma
Dree Still
Ellery Bailey
Evie Skene
Gracie Dillon
Grace Stowe Evans
Hannah Ehrlich
Kira Gallichio
Lyriq Sele
Madison Hawkins
Mary Alice Vogel
Michele L. Mergner
MJ Craycraft
Nick Maurer
Rosalyn Willey
Saige Jeffs
Sidney Hickman
Simon Glaser
Thomas Maddox
Will Madden
Spring '26 Theme:
Paradigm
We make patterns, we share moments..
—Jenny Downham, Before I Die
Our minds are built, from the cellular level, to recognize and embrace patterns.
The patterns of moments: habit.
The patterns of days: routine.
The patterns of generations: tradition.
The patterns of humanity: history.
Within your submission we ask you to explore either:
What does it mean to uphold these patterns? How do we preserve a culture, defend our rights, or uncover the extraordinary through the repetition of the ordinary?
Conversely, what does it mean to break these patterns? How do we escape generational trauma, challenge our self-perception, or adapt to new frontiers of scientific advancement?
You may choose to focus on a single pattern, or on an entire set of patterns: a paradigm.
We invite submissions that dissect and redefine the paradigms of the world around us through concept and form. We look forward to engaging with your creative interpretations.
There are only patterns, patterns on top of patterns, patterns that affect other patterns. Patterns hidden by patterns. Patterns within patterns. If you watch close, history does nothing but repeat itself. What we call chaos is just patterns we haven't recognized. What we call random is just patterns we can't decipher. what we can't understand we call nonsense. What we can't read we call gibberish. There is no free will. There are no variables.
—Chuck Palahniuk, Survivor
Short Vine Literary Journal is proudly published by students at the University of Cincinnati. The thoughts, ideas, messages, and opinions expressed in/by Short Vine belong solely to students, not to any institution.