One of the most difficult tasks I face as editor of Ancient Paths Online is sifting through the many excellent poems published throughout the year in order to select just six to nominate for the Pushcart Prize. The process involves a lot of reading and re-reading, and I aim for a certain amount of diversity in the selections. I always wish I could nominate more, because so many of the works Ancient Paths is privileged to publish are not only of high literary quality, but emotionally affecting.
After much time and consideration, this year’s selections have been made. Ancient Paths congratulates its 2019 Pushcart Prize nominees:
“RIP” by Sam Hickford “A Marriage in Beds” by Brian C. Billings
“The Red Road” by Deborah Guzzi
“The Night Shift” by Yevgeniya Przhebelskaya “May It Not Come Undone” by Kimberly Rivers “God’s Language” by Peggy Turnbull
Each of these selections may be found archived on the blog. You can read the poems by clicking on the individual links above.
The Puschart Prize is an annual anthology that has been produced by Pushcart Press since 1976 to honor the best poetry, short fiction, and essays published by the small presses in the previous year. Over 200 small presses submit up to six nominations each year. It is considered an honor in the small press world simply to be nominated. Best of luck to all the Ancient Paths nominees!