Acceptance: Stickman Review

It is a very wonderful, very happy moment for me to announce that two of my poems were taken by this great--and I would say unforgettable--literary magazine. Stickman was born in 2001 and is still richly vibrant. It is a tremendous testimony to the dedication and soulfire of Anthony Brown, the editor and founder. The following is from the “About” section:

I founded Stickman Review—along with Darrin English, a friend and former colleague of mine—in 2001 while living in Flagstaff, Arizona. As an MFA student at the University of Arizona, I had the pleasure of serving a few years as Editor-In-Chief of Sonora Review, the university’s award winning literary magazine. I enjoyed it so much that after eight years of deliberation and procrastination and “settling in” to a life outside the writing community, I decided to launch my own magazine; thus, Stickman Review was born.

About section of Stickman

The perseverance of Editor Brown is just one facet of this superb journal. Visit the archives to behold the first hint of an encompassing brilliance. The stunning cover art, the resonant ambience, and the absolutely beautiful display of ten years of compelling literature, are your gateway into a masterful editor’s domain.

What is the essence of Stickman? As you might intuit, it is archetypal and primeval--and yet fresh, modern and splendidly sensuous. It is the beast in us 50,000 years ago growling into the face of a Saber Tooth, or grunting around fire without the slightest scrap of civilization. And yet Stickman is the rest of our existence too, alloyed in a labyrinthine embrace with the warrens of our animal heart.

Don’t take me literally: This is not a single-face journal wedded to a caveman theme. The vast majority of the work does not bare the neolithic. Anthony Brown does not select poems to pigeonhole them in nicely defined niches of concept. You’ll find everything on most all topics here, excluding the distasteful. The only commonality is the genius and shifting filter of Mr. Brown’s indefatigable mind.

I would also like to take a moment to praise his laudable stamina in giving so much time to nebulous hordes of querulous writers.

Stickman used to pay contributors but harsh financial times have intruded on this hook, not that the journal needs it. Its reputation seems magnetic.

Not only that, Editor Brown is stretched even by our society’s frantic standards. The Great Recession hit him personally and yet:

I plug on ... reading as much as I can as quickly as I can. (With three young girls and a more-than-full-time job, it takes me quite a while to turn things around.) I enjoy keeping this small connection to the writing world active, and I hope that this small window I’ve opened offers others the same pleasure it gives me when I read a particularly compelling story, poem or essay. (from the About page)

The latest issue of Stickman Review presents a formidable array of apex wordsmiths:

Mary Christine Delea
Kate Krautkramer
Robert Hill Long
Ronald Moran
Lee Passarella
Simon Perchik
Helen R. Peterson
Don Russ
Erik Tschekunow

The collective accomplishments of these accomplished poets can certainly wow our collective consciousness. Read about them here:

Contributor biographies


I’ve had some good acceptances over the long, painstaking years. I was in Chelsea before that legendary journal sadly fell. Not long ago, three of my poems were taken by the Portland Review. I’m exceedingly proud to say that my approval by Stickman ranks among my happiest moments as a penurious, hair-pulling poet.

My happiness is due to the quality of the venue, yes! But also: I truly admire the persistence of Anthony Brown. He has found a place to be Good.


OWL