Humana Obscura is an independent literary magazine that seeks to publish nature-focused poetry, prose, and art by new, emerging, and established writers and artists from around the world.
As our name suggests—“obscured human”—we focus on work where the human element is concealed but not entirely absent, aiming to revive the nature genre.
Humana Obscura’s mission is to publish and promote the best work of today’s voices and talents. Our intention is to inspire readers and enrich their lives while providing an inclusive space for elevating the voices, expressions, and creative work of our contributors.
Surprise us, delight us. Haunt us. Make us keep thinking about your piece long after we’ve read it or viewed it.
Humana Obscura is now accepting submissions of poetry, prose, and art for its next issue!
Submissions will remain open until February 1st, 2024.
Poetry that is accessible, prose that is poetic, and artwork of the natural world that will wow us.
We’re looking for work that is nuanced, raw, and imagistic with strong elements of the natural world or hints to the human-nature relationship. We tend to favor work that is unexpected, evocative, yet subtle, with a strong sense of place and strong imagery.
We prefer shorter works that use brevity to its advantage, with simple formatting and uncomplicated language.
Please keep in mind the seasonal nature of the issue you’re submitting to.
Poetry & Prose
We prefer free-verse poetry and prose that is accessible to readers, is straightforward, and avoids fancy language.
We opt for the less traditional, Westernized style of haiku and tanka that does not follow strict syllable structures, while honoring the haiku aesthetic and characteristics.
We do not publish experimental work, and very rarely do we publish poems longer than one page.
Please edit your work before submitting. While typos aren’t enough to automatically reject your work, it is important to submit your final, edited piece(s). Upon acceptance, we may suggest minor edits to your work.
Visual Art
When it comes to art, we like both the realistic and the abstract—think out-of-focus photography, minimalism, intentional camera movement, and impressionistic smears of colors on a canvas. We love photographs of nature, be it landscapes, animals, or otherwise.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
- Poetry – Up to 5 poems (or up to 10 haiku, tanka, or micropoetry 5 lines or less). Please include all poems in one document.
- Prose – No more than 2 pieces, 500 words maximum per piece.
- Artwork & Photos – Up to 8 works, high resolution (300dpi). Be sure that the titles of your artwork are included in the file name.
READING PERIODS
- Spring issue – December 1st – February 1st, published in March
- Summer issue – March 1st – May 1st, published in June
- Fall issue – June 1st – August 1st, published in September
- Winter issue – September 1st – November 1st, published in December
Website link for apply: https://www.humanaobscura.com/submit
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