• A small red brick structure with a metal roof sits at the edge of a grassy cliff overlooking a wide blue body of water. The horizon stretches across the middle of the image beneath a soft sky that fades from peach to pink and pale blue. my lighthouse TEXT: Home, Elena Shirokikh, Poetry

    Home

    You are my anchor,
    my lighthouse,
    my comforting blanket,
    the earth that reminds me that my roots are stronger than I think
    when I feel ungrounded…

  • A CD case displaying the album I Trawl the Megahertz by Paddy McAloon sits centered against a deep maroon background. The cover features minimalist curved lines in red, blue, and black across a white field. Text above reads “The Painful Comforts of Loneliness: A Review of Paddy McAloon’s I Trawl the Megahertz,” with “Album Review” along the side and the MockingOwl Roost owl logo in the bottom right corner. I Trawl the Megahertz TEXT: The Painful Comforts of Loneliness: A Review of Paddy McAloon’s I Trawl the Megahertz, Emma Diehl

    The Painful Comforts of Loneliness: A Review of Paddy McAloon’s I Trawl The Megahertz

    This work soothes the heart as both a lullaby and an ode to the lonely, but its comfort also carries a clear warning: If we spend our lives living in the fantasies in our head, we will lose the lives we were meant to live.

  • Sunlight spills warmly between two towering, old trees whose thick, twisting trunks and wide branches stretch outward like open arms, their bright green leaves glowing against the golden light. The scene feels peaceful and hopeful, like a quiet invitation to care for the earth and watch something lasting grow. great tree TEXT: Mary Derringer, Plant a Tree on Arbor Day, Poetry

    Plant a Tree on Arbor Day

    When you plant a tree, you sow the thoughts of leafy morns and lovely afternoons. You plant the thoughts of beauty growing beneath the countless suns and moons…

  • A stylized illustration shows a hand gently holding a small mound of soil from which a leafy green tree and plants are growing. The background is a soft green gradient with glowing accents, giving a fresh, vibrant feel. The MockingOwl Roost owl logo sits near the base of the plants. Free Saplings TEXT: Celebration in a Tree City, Paula Frew, Poetry

    Celebration in a Tree City

    Trees, trees, trees
    everywhere we look
    line the streets.
    as though in a book.

  • A soft, watercolor-style illustration shows an old, weathered tree with a thick, twisting trunk and sparse, fading leaves clinging to a few bare branches. The tree stands alone on pale ground, surrounded by light washes of beige and muted green that give the image a quiet, reflective mood. The MockingOwl Roost logo appears to the left of the tree, reinforcing the piece as part of a literary publication layout. Every Spring TEXT: ELEGY FOR A TREE THAT FORGOT MY NAME; Joshua Walker; Poetry

    Elegy for a Tree That Forgot My Name

    I carved a heart you swallowed in bark
    not out of hunger,
    but ritual.
    Every autumn you let go
    more easily than I do.
    Every spring,
    you grew further from the boy who named you.

Quarterly & Special Issues

  • Poetry Special 2022 cover
  • Introspection issue cover
  • Sleeper of R'Lyeh cover
  • cover image of the MockingOwl Roost, Volume 1, Issue 4: Community
  • giant elephant in forest with a man standing in front of the elephant
🦉 Submissions next open from June 1 to August 31 2024
August 16, 2025
Published by Emylle Torres and Milene Correia at August 16, 2025
Categories

Emylle on Wheels – Web Comic – Episode 6

Emylle, our heroine, is a girl who uses a wheelchair and who has short, curly hair and is wearing a blue-and-white-striped bodysuit. She says, “Tell you what! If I got a coin every time I get asked an intrusive question…” She pauses.
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3 Read more
August 15, 2025
Among the Distant Stars - science fiction issue of the MockingOwl Roost - image of a hot, burning sun with a red aura - TEXT: Quarterly Issue - Volume 5, Issue 3: Among the Distant Stars - MockingOwl Roost Contributors and Staff
Published by The MockingOwls at August 15, 2025
Categories

Among the Distant Stars

Far off, among the distant stars, they explored. They terra-formed new worlds. They traveled in light years... It may be science fiction now, but someday... Explore deep space through these magnificent short stories, poems, and gorgeous visual art pieces by artists and authors from around the world.
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August 5, 2025
Split background image with orange-red at top and chocolate brown at bottom. In the middle, an anime collage from Vinland Saga appears, with the word "Review" in glowing white letters rests. At the top, Anime Show and at the bottom C. Alokita rest. White MockingOwl Roost logo at the bottom in right hand corner.
Published by C. Alokita at August 5, 2025
Categories

Vinland Saga: Historical, Action, Anime Review

What does a revenge-blinded soul do upon realising that vengeance was only a self-created prison and peace might be the only true rebellion? Vinland Saga tells us this story in the subtext of medieval Europe, where Thorfinn, stuck in the never-ending cycle of war, evolves from a bloodthirsty viking to a seeker of peace.
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4 Read more
August 1, 2025
Breath of Nature - Poetry Special of the MockingOwl Roost - image of a red background with vivis red, purple, and black bird grapsing a bright green plant stalk. TEXT: Poetry Special, Volume 5, Special Issue 2: Breath of Nature - MockingOwl Roost Contributors and Staff
Published by The MockingOwls at August 1, 2025
Categories

Breath of Nature – Poetry Special

Take a run through the forest, or swim in the depths. Breathe in the heart of nature as you scamper with the animals, daydream of springtime, and linger beneath the waterfall's splash. Plunge into the refreshing waters of the river, or curl up with a cuppa tea and good book in the garden where birds and ladybugs play. The wonders and healing calm of nature await in the pages of our Breath of Nature Poetry Special.
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July 5, 2025
Book cover of swimming pool beside modern, tropical house. TEXT: The Imagined Life, a Literary Novel Review, Zina Mona, Book Review
Published by Zina Mona at July 5, 2025
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The Imagined Life, a Literary Novel Review

Of course I judge a book by its cover. I know it’s wrong, but a pretty cover will lure me in. The Imagined Life by Andrew Porter possesses one of those magical covers that’s not merely beautiful, but reflects equally the gorgeous writing within.
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July 2, 2025
How to Train Your Dragon (2025) Film images with dragons flying through the air set in tablet and laptop screen frames - TEXT: How to Train Your Dragon (2025), a Film Review - Janaye Roberts
Published by Janaye Roberts at July 2, 2025
Categories

How to Train Your Dragon (2025), a Film Review

The remake came as a surprise to some, but it was well-received, especially by those who hadn’t seen the original. They enjoyed the visuals and were excited to see a movie centered around dragons. For those of us who grew up with the original How to Train Your Dragon, the trailer alone brought back that same joy and nostalgia.
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