Tag: mental health

  • Poeaxtry is where the people are – Practicing Paganism

    Poeaxtry is where the people are – Practicing Paganism

    If you had a freeway billboard, what would it say?

    My billboard would read:

    Publishing, Poetry, Paganism, and People – The Poeaxtry Prism Planet.

    Read more below to see the full story as to why…


    Witchcraft and spirituality do not live in perfect aesthetics or mass-produced one size fits all spell bags. It lives where people are actually doing the work. Showing up in kitchens, backyards, workbenches, forests, streams and quiet moments where you can still feel the old world coming through.

    Poeaxtry is where the people are. This brand and motto exist at the intersection of paganism, queer identity, advocacy spirituality, handmade tools, and real-world practice to name just a few. Nothing here is meant to be distant, polished, or untouchable. It’s meant to be used, held, worked with, and questioned.

    This space is rooted in paganism, shaped by personal experience, and expressed through divination, ritual services, and objects made by hand with purpose.

    Heathen or person from a rural person has a new meaning in recent years.


    What Paganism Actually Is

    Paganism is not one religion, and it has never been a single organized system. Historically and in modern practice, paganism is used to refer to a wide range of spiritual paths. These paths are usually nature-based, earth-honoring, and often inspired by pre-Christian traditions.

    Modern paganism is usually experiential rather than dogmatic. People build their practice through relationship with land, seasons, ancestors, symbols, and personal intuition. There is no universal rulebook and no requirement to worship a specific deity.


    That flexibility is not a flaw. It is the point.

    Paganism shows up in Poeaxtry and the Prism, through intention, honoring nature, creation, ritual, divination, the way each item or service is created, and layered into digital and physical literature collections as well. My work is grounded, practical, and personal. Never performative.


    Paganism and Wicca Are Not the Same Thing

    This is one of the most misunderstood topics, so it matters to be clear.

    Wicca is a specific religion that developed in the mid-20th century, drawing from ceremonial magic, folklore, and older pagan imagery. It has defined rituals, ethical frameworks, and religious structure.

    In early Wiccan practice, this rule was often a matter of social etiquette in leu of cosmic law. If a witch did you a favor, you’d be socially tied to return it three times. Pagans argue that turning this into a karmic law or seemingly Christianity related was a later reinterpretation meant to give Wicca a structured, “acceptable” morality.


    Christian Morals?

    Prominent pagan people gave said that Gerald Gardner would invented “ancient” laws to manage coven issues and improve his PR. Non-Wiccan pagans, like myself, and some other believers in the craft feel a universal “law” where actions return exactly threefold… is an oversimplification. Some even see it as a guideline to scare “newbies” into a “non-harmful” practices. This one’s gonna make some people mad, and I’m not sorry about it. The law of three feels like an attempt to make Christians and other people who believe in Abrahamic religions less scared of them.


    Paganism the Umbrella term


    Just small side note on the fact that I have two identifiers that are umbrella terms, and that’s kinda cool if you think about it like I do.


    Paganism is the larger umbrella. Wicca exists within, that being said paganism itself contains more layers than your favorite cake. A good amount of paths that have nothing to do with Wicca at all.

    Some pagans work with deities, others don’t. Practicing Pagans magick. Seasonal, ritual or even ancestral reverence. Eclectic, and Celtic Pagans. Don’t forget Norse, Heathenry, and Hellenism. Kemeticism, an ancient Egyptian form of paganism, and Religio Romana. Yes the Roman’s had a paganism based belief system as well!

    There’s Druidry, whose focused is nature, poetry, and divine inspiration (Awen), though this is typically less spell work more scholar. This isn’t the complete list.

    Poeaxtry is pagan-rooted but not Wiccan. I am more of an Eclectic Pagan if I had to choose. We choose our own path, a curated list of what works for us, from (ethical, not closed) traditions. You can runes, pendulums, smudging herb sticks you dry yourself, let’s use something other than white sage please.

    White Sage is native to Southern California and is sacred to
    the Chumash, Tongva, and Gabrieleno, indigenous tribes of that region.

    Indigenous people were legally banned from practicing their own religions, this included burning sage for decades. It is very disrespectful for their very oppressors to now sell it. Then use it as a trend while the Chumash, Tongva, and Gabrieleno, tribes still struggle for land and rights.


    Tell me in the comments where your practice live? The trees? A seat at your kitchen table?

    Or

    You could share one belief or practice you’ve reclaimed on your own terms.

    Any and all engagement & community building welcome!


    Tarot and Pendulum Readings

    Divination is not about predicting an unchangeable future. Through time, tarot and pendulum work have been tools for reflection, clarity, and energetic awareness.

    Tarot readings offered through Poeaxtry focus on helping people understand patterns, choices, and influences already present in their lives. The cards do not make decisions for anyone. They create a conversation.

    Pendulum readings are simpler and more direct. They are often used for energetic checking, alignment, or focused yes-or-no questions. I have custom boards for more in-depth responses and questions. For people who want clarity without overwhelm.

    These services are offered as support tools, not as definitive guides or fixes and NEVER as medical information.


    Spell Jars and Spell Bags

    Spell jars and spell bags are symbolic containers, holding intention, focus, and material correspondence. They do not replace personal effort or responsibility.

    Each piece created at Poeaxtry by Axton is assembled intentionally, using organic herbs and natural materials whenever possible. That is handcrafted in small batches, based on vibe. They are meant to be worked with, carried, placed, or incorporated into personal ritual.

    They are reminders and anchors, not promises.


    Ritual Services and Spiritual Work

    Rituals offered by Axton through Poeaxtry are grounded in purpose with intention. These can include personal rituals, seasonal observances, or energy-focused work designed to help people mark transitions, release stagnation, or set intention.

    The goal is to create something meaningful and usable for real life.

    Handmade Tools and Body Work

    Hand-whittled wands are shaped by the wood itself. Grain, knots, and natural form guide the process. Each wand is made slowly and deliberately, not carved into uniform shapes. Each wand base is foraged, and whittled, and crafted by me alone.

    Natural body sprays are crafted with botanical ingredients and intended for grounding, energetic refresh, or ritual use. They are not overloaded with synthetic fragrance or filler.

    Organic herbal tinctures are prepared using traditional methods and plant knowledge. These are not trend products. They are rooted in respect for the plants themselves and the people who use them.


    Stone Work and Found Creations

    Stones are collected, cleaned, sliced, or polished using tumblers or hand tools, then transformed into something new. Some are functional. Some are symbolic. Some are simply meant to make people smile.

    The Stony Homies exist for that exact reason. Spiritual work does not need to be humorless to be sincere.


    Wreaths and Earth-Based Art

    Crystal, bone, seasonal, vibe based wreaths and nature-based creations honor cycles, thresholds, and change. Materials are chosen with awareness of season and environment whenever possible. These pieces are not meant to last forever. Their impermanence is part of their meaning.


    Why Poeaxtry Exists in Paganism

    Poeaxtry exists because spirituality should be lived, not staged.

    At Poeaxtry the work is handmade, imperfect, intentional, and grounded. It honors pagan roots without pretending there is only one correct way to practice. It leaves room for curiosity, humor, and personal meaning.

    Poeaxtry is where the people are because that is where real magic lives.

    Through tarot, ritual services, handmade tools, herbal work, stone creations, and earth-based art, Poeaxtry supports people who walk their own spiritual path without needing permission or polish.

    This is living practice. Made by hand. Used by real people.


    Share this with someone who’s still trying to untangle Paganism from the stereotypes.

    Or

    With someone who is untangling Paganism from Propaganda


    Poeaxtry creations! Handmade items, digital collections, Tarot & Pendulum Readings, and more. Physical items only on Etsy! Readings only on Pay-hip/Gumroad. Digital collections on all three as well as kindle/amazon and Google!


    Links. Angel

  • Poeaxtry- The Spill- Volume 11- Ending 2025 Strong

    Poeaxtry- The Spill- Volume 11- Ending 2025 Strong


    Do it for James yellow and blue book cover with basketball player wearing a crown

    Do It For James

    I’m honored to share that my poem “My BPD” is featured in the newly released anthology Do It For James: Poetry On Purpose, published by Poetry Is Life Publishing in collaboration with the Do It For James Foundation. This compilation uplifts voices navigating grief, mental health, and the power of storytelling.

    “My BPD” enacts the disorientation and longing that often accompany diagnosis, and the fierce clarity that comes with naming it.

    Available now. Page 43.

    Axton Mitchell’s Contribution on page 43
    My BPD

    Furrily Loveable

    My poem “Sunlight in Honey” appears in the latest issue of Furrily Loveable, a cozy publication celebrating cats, dogs, and their people. This piece threads joy, memory, and quiet companionship into golden verse.

    I chose to honor the soft rhythms of nature, and the beings who walk beside us.

    Grateful to be included among such tender voices.
    Read it now on Amazon.

    Cover of anthology with black cat

    Author Update, New Headshots, New Era

    Black & white photo of Axton Mitchell in glasses and black sweater
    1st favorite

    This winter, I stepped back into the woods, not just to breathe, but to be seen. And now updated headshots are live. These images were chosen for the back of my upcoming books and future publishing submissions.

    These are my favorites, though not the full set. Each one carries the pulse of survival, the quiet defiance of Appalachian roots, and the clarity earned through grief and grit.

    Axton Mitchell’s photographed in-front of bare winter trees purple mullet-hawk, glasses, and a black sweater.
    2nd favorite

    They are not just portraits.
    They are proof.
    Of presence.

    Of pacing.

    Of the poet behind the pages.

    Stay tuned. The next releases are already forming.

    Axton Mitchell purple mullet-hawk, double peace sign , black sweater in front of the bare winter trees.
    Bonus. For character.

    What’s Next

    I’m continuing my collaborative writing chapter with Gay Hive Magazine, formerly Hush Magazine. I’ll be contributing work as they relaunch, continuing the kind of honest, purpose driven storytelling I care about. I’ll share published pieces as they go live.

    Submissions are now open for the upcoming free quarterly issue of Poeaxtry’s Poetry Prism. Email poeaxtryspoetryprism@gmail.com to submit. I’m accepting art, poetry, prose, and essays through February 12, 2026. These quarterlys will also offer free ad placement for small businesses, independent presses, indie creatives, and community aligned projects. If you’re building something with heart and intention, there’s space for you here.

    Axton Mitchell’s upcoming chapbook cover ft a preying mantis eating a gecko
    Humanoid Ideations finalized cover

    On my own desk, I’m in the final polish stage of several works in progress, shaping them toward completion rather than rush. “Humanoid Ideations: Meeting the Woman of Your Dreams,” “I wonder,” and “Sometimes the Prince Needs Saved” are reaching completion. Arc readers interested in early access in exchange for reviews email poeaxtry@gmail.com

    Axton Mitchell’s upcoming poetry e-book finalized cover ft Prince and Brock background on fire
    “Sometimes The Prince Needs Saved” finalized cover

    Lastly I am actively participating in a one poem a day for 100 days challenge, showing up consistently, letting practice be visible, and trusting what repetition teaches.

  • Poeaxtry_ is Where the People Are; Who Thrives and Why? A Deep Dive!

    Poeaxtry_ is Where the People Are; Who Thrives and Why? A Deep Dive!

    Hello Familiar Friends and New Names.

    And welcome where we are all people, first!

    Welcome to a space where we are all people first!

    At Poeaxtry_, I like to say that one of our mottos is “Poeaxtry_, where the people are.” But did I ever explain what that actually boils down to?

    Simply put: I don’t want to force anyone to find me. I want people who might be interested in reading, submitting, creating, or even just engaging with the emotional, hiking, or other free content I share, to discover me naturally and connect in their own way.

    That’s why I post the digital creations, and photos or videos I capture with my phone across social platforms. These posts share the highlights in text on the visual media, summaries in the captions, and links to read more if interested on my website. This site holds the “meat and potatoes,” also known as the full content. This leaves my work accessible to all fully in one place that doesn’t anyone to create an account to view. However subscribers to the website do receive a reward, but I’m probably getting ahead of myself. We’ll get all of that and more soon!

    Quality is Key

    There’s a difference between followers and believers, between noise and signal, between people who swipe and people who stay. Subscribers mean nothing when the numbers aren’t noticing or notifying. Numbers are nothing if they aren’t the people you resonate with.

    This post is a deep dive into the kinds of creators, readers, contributors, critics and community members who thrive at Poeaxtry_ and The Poetry Prism. I’m including a small reminder of our ethos that holds it all together.

    This isn’t about chasing numbers or chasing dopamine. It’s about quality, intention, and connection.

    Who Thrives Here?

    Readers Who Connect.

    People who may read something more than once to see what else is hiding.

    They look for depth over new discovery, connection over content trends.

    They pause, reflect, and engage with work that might challenge societies views or refuse pretend peacefulness.

    Creators Who Make With Purpose

    Not hobbyists. Not algorithm chasers.

    They craft poems like prayers, build zines like love letters, or publish work that has purpose.

    These creators make not for only applause, but because their work demands to hold space.

    Marginalized Voices & Intersectional Art

    We built this space because such spaces were scarce:

    LGBTQ+ voices, Disabled creatives, Neurodivergent makers, people in recovery, creators of color, and other communities America keeps attacking.

    This is visibility with intention, support with structure, and room without hierarchy.

    Contributors & Collaborators Who Grow Together

    This is a working ecosystem, not a pond of competitors.

    Here, people:

    Give and receive constructive feedback, look at success as mutual elevation, respect identities, collaborate while creating creative comrades, compete in creative showdowns, and much more.

    Discord Twitch

    Who This Isn’t For

    Algorithm chasing creators who aren’t the same as creative people they are much different.

    If your goal is to rage bait or chase clicks, this space isn’t for you.

    We value substance over fake.

    The “I’m above you” energy? Not going to fly here.

    Harm, Discrimination, Prejudice

    We do not tolerate dehumanizing behavior.

    Bigotry or discrimination that is based on race, gender, sexuality, disability, mental health, or any other immutable identity ends your collaboration here immediately.

    This is a safe creative community no slut shaming, body shaming, or politics. Transgender identity isn’t politics if you think so I don’t think you need me to tell me shit,

    poeaxtry’s website (updated first) Shared to mainstream & emerging social platforms Direct community spaces Publishing & sales: Amazon/Kindle, Google Play Books, Etsy, Gumroad, Payhip

    At Poeaxtry_ we are not tied to a single platform, always expanding.

    Community Spaces & Engagement

    I’m building safe, collaborative spaces for writers, artists, and makers:

    Discord with Collaborative threads, competitions, open mic nights, custom roles for interactions, and more. Feedback invited, not forced; silence allowed. Rest & presence valued over performance always.

    Publishing & Opportunities

    Poeaxtry’s Poetry Prism offers:

    Free publishing for minority indie creators: poetry, prose, visual art, mixed media, experimental work and Indie spotlights for indie creatives and small businesses Collaborative projects, resource sharing, critique circles

    2026 Initiatives

    Our new Quarterly digital magazine with open submissions, my own features, resource guides, advice sections addressing current issues, and open budget friendly calls for submissions.

    Also be looking for virtual and local open mic nights

    This is the ecosystem for those who thrive here creating, collaborating, connecting, and building together.

    Values Hold Poeaxtry_ Together

    Integrity, respect, care.

    Bigotry, discrimination, or harm ends collaboration immediately.

    We realistically can’t do full vetting or background checks but we know the truth surfaces naturally. Then we will act accordingly.

    This isn’t a growth strategy.

    This is a creative home for people who:

    Read meaningfully, create with care, connect generously, and Build community over content creating trend climbing.

    Your voice matters here. So if it’s genuine, grounded, and human come connect !

    Welcome to Poeaxtry_ and The Poetry Prism.

    Links portfolio kofi coffee?

    Google business reviews Goodreads

  • Day Three Poem: Hurt Like This by Axton N.O. Mitchell

    Day Three Poem: Hurt Like This by Axton N.O. Mitchell


    Day three of my 100-poem series… sometimes the calendar moves, but our hearts stay behind, carrying the weight of absence, echoing in the spaces others fill with celebration.

    Hurt Like This

    Another year

    Another empty space

    this is just another day.

    You all can celebrate your

    holiday, cheer,

    somewhere not near to me.

    Can’t you see? This is just another

    day to me.

    Except if it were just a day

    would it hurt like this?

    Poet’s Note:

    This poem leans into the quiet ache of holidays when they don’t feel joyful… that tension between the world’s celebration and your own emptiness can be sharp. I wrote it to honor that feeling, unfiltered, because acknowledging hurt is part of moving through it.

    Some days carry weight that no calendar can explain… and some poems are just for naming it.

    Day two day one 100

  • 100 Poems in 100 Days, Joining the Threads Poetry Challenge With Ice

    100 Poems in 100 Days, Joining the Threads Poetry Challenge With Ice


    Every so often, a simple idea creates a creative avalanche. I’m hoping that this will be that.

    Write a poem a day.

    But do it for one hundred days.

    Then share it publicly.


    No paywall, no panel of judges, no polished submission packets, no gatekeeping. Just writers showing up where they are, writing through whatever weather they’re standing in.

    I’m joining in.

    Not because I want more pressure, or because I think productivity equals worth, but because poetry thrives on repetition, attention, and witness. A poem a day doesn’t have to be perfect. It has to exist. It has to respond. It has to mark time. It is practice, which we all have been told makes perfect!

    For indie poets, marginalized writers, and creatives working outside institutional publishing, challenges like this matter. They create visible momentum. They pull poetry out of private notes apps and put it back into conversation. They remind us that poetry isn’t precious, it’s necessary.

    This post documents my entry into the challenge, and it begins with day one, where else?


    Day One of One Hundred

    “Ice”

    It’s cold outside,

    my desire is on fire,

    something more just out of

    r

    e

    a

    c

    h.

    The plows came through these

    Appalachian city streets,

    though the ice stayed

    Immigrant mothers pray

    for their brothers,

    others try to feed their

    families.

    No matter the kind,

    crushed ice

    is my favorite.

    Poet’s Note

    This poem lives in the overlap between weather and policy.

    Between what freezes naturally and what is enforced.

    Ice shows up twice here. Once as winter, salt trucks, plows, and streets that look cleared but still aren’t safe. The other time as ICE, immigration enforcement, the quiet terror that doesn’t melt when the roads do.

    Crushed ice is impact. It’s aftermath. It’s what happens when something large and heavy moves through a place and leaves fragments behind.

    I didn’t want to explain the metaphor inside the poem. I wanted it to sit unresolved, because that’s how it exists in real life. Some people experience winter. Others experience surveillance. Sometimes it’s both, at the same time, in the same city.

    Why This Challenge Matters to Me

    Writing a poem every day for one hundred days isn’t about proving discipline. It’s about practicing attention. About letting the world interrupt me and answering back in language.

    As an indie publisher, poet, and community builder through Poeaxtry and The Prism, I care deeply about visibility for small voices, especially voices that don’t get invited into traditional literary rooms. A public challenge hosted on a platform like Threads lowers the barrier to entry. It lets poets write in public without asking permission.

    This is also about sustainability. One poem a day is manageable. It fits between work shifts, hikes, grief, anger, and ordinary survival. Over time, those daily poems become a record, not just of craft, but of living through a specific stretch of history.

    If you’re participating too, or considering it, this is your nudge. You don’t need permission. You don’t need an audience. You just need to start.

    One poem today.

    Then another tomorrow.


    Links portfolio

  • My Favorite Ways to Stay Active: Hiking, Swimming, Kayaking, and More

    My Favorite Ways to Stay Active: Hiking, Swimming, Kayaking, and More

    What are your favorite physical activities or exercises?

    Finding Joy in Movement: Why Physical Activity Matters

    Staying active doesn’t have to mean being uncomfortable in a crowded gym. Especially if you’re like me and they make you feel like everyone is staring right at you. For me, the joy of movement comes from freedom, fresh air, and the quiet satisfaction of feeling my body work in ways that make sense. Some days, that means exploring the wilderness, gliding across water, or feeling the burn from resistance bands at home. Each activity has its own rhythm, its own kind of therapy, and its own reason I keep coming back.

    Hiking: Walking Into Calm and Clarity

    Hiking has always been my escape and my reset. The perfect blend of adventure, exercise, and self care. Trails lined with autumn leaves, the crunch of snow beneath my boots, or the earthy smell of the forest after rain. It is more than just cardio. This is meditation in motion. Every incline challenges my endurance, every rocky path tests my balance, and reaching the summit gives a sense of accomplishment that no treadmill can replicate.

    Hiking connects me with the outdoors in a way a gym never could. The open air, the sun on my face, the sound of water running or birds calling. The ability to collect rocks too! It really is a full-body experience that nurtures mind, body, and soul.

    Swimming: Strength and Mindful Movements

    Water has a magic of its own. Swimming isn’t just exercise; it’s a rhythm, a flow that eases tension and strengthens muscles without pounding joints. I love the quiet isolation of a pool or a calm lake. Letting your body feel the water engulf it. It’s a workout that also clears the mind, letting thoughts drift as easily as my body through water.

    Plus, swimming teaches patience, timing, and breath control. It’s a meditative discipline, one that makes me feel strong, centered, and refreshed all at once.

    Kayaking: Power, Peace, and Perspective

    Kayaking combines strength, coordination, and a little bit of adventure. Paddling through calm waters or along river bends is meditative, but it also gives a satisfying upper-body and core workout. I love the tactile feedback of the paddle slicing water. The rhythm of each stroke, engaging my entire upper body in unison.

    Being out on the water is also a perspective shift. There’s nothing like seeing a familiar landscape reflected in a river or lake to remind you that exercise can be about more than calories. It’s also about wonder, movement, and presence.

    Home Workouts: Resistance Bands and Freedom from Gym Anxiety

    I’ll admit it gyms aren’t my favorite. There’s something about the feeling of everyone watching, or that subtle pressure to “perform,” that drains the fun out of working out. That’s where my full-body resistance band set comes in. You can anchored to doors, a bar, or different hand/ ankle straps. Providing me a total-body workout at home, in private, and at less money than a gym membership for just two months .

    Bands aren’t just convenient they’re versatile. From squats to rows to chest presses, every muscle gets attention without the intimidation of a crowded gym. It’s empowering to feel strong and capable while keeping my workouts entirely my own.

    Moving Forward: Finding Your Flow

    The truth is, the best exercise is the one that makes you want to keep moving. Whatever one you enjoy. Hiking, swimming, kayaking, and resistance band workouts are my favorites because they blend physical challenge, mental clarity, and a sense of freedom.

    If you’ve been hesitant to try something new, think about what excites you outside the gym walls. Maybe it’s a trail you’ve never walked, a lake you’ve never paddled, or a quiet corner at home with bands ready to stretch and strengthen you. Movement is personal, and your perfect routine might surprise you.

    Ready to Move With Me?

    Poeaxtry_ isn’t just about poems and crafts. We are also about living fully, creatively, and intentionally! With that in mind, we’d like to extend an artist, author, or creator spotlight offer, as well as a second spotlight to showcase your work. Submit this form or email poeaxtry@gmail.com and ask for more information on Indie Spotlights. Free!


    Links

  • Things are Changing for Poeaxtry Community Collaborations

    Things are Changing for Poeaxtry Community Collaborations

    Shifting the Prism’s Collaborations Into a Quarterly Publication

    The why behind Collaborations

    I launched community collabs with one goal to create publications for marginalized voices to be heard. (I wanted to help their art be seen too, of course, and their business be found.) To be read by others would then be able to find voices similar to their own. Themed calls gave structure, that I thought would help. However, I like art when the creator feels compelled to create it, not when it’s created per a submission theme.

    Why I’m Changing the Model

    It became clear that themes sometimes act as invisible boundaries. They shaped not only what people created, but who felt comfortable submitting. Themes feel a bit too much like gatekeepers, for my comfort. Hear me out, you had to fit the art, poem, or essay in like a key based on theme.

    That contradicts who I am or whom I want to be. I want this space to belong to the creators themselves. I want to invite people to bring what’s real. What’s needed, even if it doesn’t fit.

    So I decided: no more themes. Instead, I’m opening Poeaxtry up to open‑theme quarterly magazines. I was already planning a Quarterly & this fits the bill.


    Any suggestions on names? Guesses welcome!

    This change isn’t a retreat. It’s expansion. By removing themes, the door stays open wider for more voices, more art, more perspectives. By increasing frequency, I can amplify more people across time.

    What’s Changing: The New Quarterly Model

    Open‑theme submission calls:
    poetry, prose, art,or essays


    rights stay with creators:
    you keep your work. Poeaxtry curates and publishes but does not claim ownership or restrict distribution.
    Contributor bios, links, and photos welcome!

    Free ads space to minority‑owned shops, indie authors, small businesses to support community visibility.

    Digital magazine format means no forced downloads
    Eliminates 4 bulky PDFs a year.
    Always Viewable online
    Readers & Contributors now can share by link

    2026 Quarterly Schedule

    (Submission + Publication Dates may change slightly!)

    Q1 2026 (First Edition)

    Taking submissions: now– Feb 12, 2026

    Launch: Mar 8–15, 2026

    Q2 2026 (Second Edition)

    Taking submissions: March 9-May 5th

    Launch: Jun 5–12, 2026

    Q3 2026 (Third Edition)

    Taking submissions:Jun 5 – Aug 5, 2026

    Sep 5–12, 2026

    Q4 2026 (Fourth Edition)

    Taking submissions: Sep 5 – Oct 31, 2026

    Launch: Dec 5–12, 2026

    Note: The first edition will include existing submissions from the original themed collabs. It will also include any new open-theme submissions received during the submission window. Future editions will be fully open‑theme. The last quarter is stretched out because of holidays, birthdays, and death days.

    What This Means for Contributors & Community

    You’re free to send your work when you feel ready. This includes poetry, art, essays, and prose, just like before, just no need to match a theme. The spotlights from the website will be shared in the quarterly as well. The magazine lives online, shareable by link. More frequent releases = more opportunities for visibility, community building, connection.

    What Happens to the Original Themed submissions?

    Their submitted work will be included in the first quarterly edition as long as they consent.

    No more waiting.
    Just art, voices, visions.

    Your Voice Matters, Always

    Poeaxtry was born from a belief that the best art comes from the darkest places. That minority voices of every difference have stories and voices that matter. Lastly, to build a community for all of us to share our creations with each other and the world.

    This shift isn’t a change of heart, it’s evolution. As the world shifts, as art shifts, as voices shift, we must too…

    Shift.

    If you’re a minority artist, an ally writer, a survivor turned storyteller. Send in your voices or visions to Poeaxtryspoetryprism@gmail.com or submit this form.

    Small business owners, entrepreneurs, indie-creatives, communities, etc. send your ads to the above email or form as well!

    To have a Spotlight post on the website fill out this form or email Poeaxtry@gmail.com
    To review ebooks and other digital items in exchange for honest reviews, use this form

    Thank you for being here. Let’s start building community.

    Axton N. O. Mitchell

  • Beaches or Mountains: Why I Love Them Both

    Beaches or Mountains: Why I Love Them Both

    Black and White photo I took in 2016 of the Santa Monica Pier!

    Well, I’m finally feeling like answering the a daily Prompt again. Today’s prompt is… Beaches or mountains, and tell us why. And you know me, I ain’t picking. I love them both, but for very different reasons, and at different times.

    I’m a mountain man. I like to hike. I like to find destinations that don’t have destinations. If nobody was around to stop me, I’d probably hike farther than I do, just to see a lot less than I do. Ohio is sacred there’s something sacred in the quiet, in the moments between one peak and the next. Being out in nature, away from people, away from screens, schedules, and most important to me no one’s bothering me about being trans. I just exist. Seeing and feeling things sometimes that’s everything. Sometimes I touch a tree, just to touch it, and whisper “thank you,” like it’s listening.

    I’m also not always trying to disappear into the woods. Sometimes I want to feel the sand between my toes, sip a mojito by the ocean, let the sun hang on my skin. And yet… even then, there’s that itch to pick up my tent, walk farther than anyone else, and not see a soul for a day or two. I’m the one who goes out over their head in the ocean when swimming, just because I can. The water is alive, and I want to be alive in it too.

    I’ve been chasing both my whole life. When I lived in Vegas, every other weekend we’d drive through the mountains just to get to LA. The mountains, the hills, the twists and turns they made the journey alive. Nature isn’t one thing to me. Clearly the ocean is nature. The woods are nature. The mountains are nature. Unless it’s Florida. I ain’t never been, and I don’t plan on it either.

    So which do I love more? I don’t. I love them both, for different reasons, at different times. The mountains feed my soul with quiet and effort. The beaches feed my soul with freedom and motion. Sometimes it’s the smell of pine. Sometimes it’s the taste of salt water on my lips or smelling it hanging in the air. Sometimes it’s just sitting still, sometimes I know it’s walking farther than I’ve ever walked before. Both remind me why I need nature at all, and both remind me why I’ll keep chasing it, wherever it is.

    Oh look it’s Sky, The Baby, and Luna!
  • No November Will Ever Be the Same, A Birthday Touched by Grief and Memory

    No November Will Ever Be the Same, A Birthday Touched by Grief and Memory

    November has its own temperature in my life now. A private weather pattern that settles into the days leading up to my birthday. Sometimes even the days after my birthday too. When grief meets a date that is supposed to feel bright, something shifts, something lingers, and something refuses to fade. This poem moves through that space, the place where candles and memories coexist. The place where a mother’s absence still shapes the month and every breath inside it. I wrote this to honor that truth…

    to let November speak the way it insists on speaking.

    “No November Will Ever Be the Same”

    November holds its own weather,
    a sky that remembers
    even when I try to forget.

    My birthday rises,
    a candle in a tiny room that
    never carries your scent
    four years later…
    I have grown to miss it.

    Four years without you,
    the month keeps its imprint,
    a bruise under the skin of another year,
    tender when I press it,
    tender when I don’t.
    I press it just to feel
    alive sometimes…

    November keeps the ledger open,
    ink still wet, pages turning
    with your scent hidden somewhere
    between the cold mornings
    and the early nights.

    People say time softens,
    but November disagrees.
    I walk through this month
    as if I am carrying two fires,
    one that celebrates my breathing
    one that flickers for the woman
    who taught me how to breathe at all.

    What does November mean now?
    A point between what was given,
    what was taken?
    A place where joy and loss sit
    at the same table…
    neither greeting the other?

    No November will ever be the same.

    I keep moving through it anyway,
    candle in one hand,
    memory in the other,
    hoping the light I carry
    is enough to keep them both lit.

    Poet’s Note

    This one carries the weight of four years. The very echo of that week and a day before my birthday that will forever lead me back to her. Writing it felt like holding two flames at once. The one that marks my birth and the one that marks her leaving. The poem flows with the tension, the ache, and the pull. They meet at the quiet acceptance that no November will ever return to what it used to be. If you are someone who walks through a month that changed you, I hope this piece sits with you in a way that feels steady.

    We all know grief never asks for permission to reshape a month, a date, or a ritual. It moves in and alters the light around everything that follows. Sharing this poem is part of learning how to keep moving. With my candle in one hand, and her memory in the other. I will continue trusting that honoring both is enough. November will never be the same, but it still holds space for growth, reflection and the kind of love that keeps shaping us long after loss has taken its form.

    Links

  • Northern Lights Central Ohio: Grief and Gratitude

    Northern Lights Central Ohio: Grief and Gratitude

    Central Ohio Aurora Borealis: A Night of Surprise

    I woke up at 7 p.m. because my phone vibrated on the side of my face! Kelsey had been in a hit-and-run while door dashing. Thankfully I can get up and go because I left immediately to make sure they were okay. The car was drivable, and Kelsey was unharmed, but the shock of the situation was definitely hard on both of us. Later, we had friends over and they brought dinner! They also super helped us with the TV Bull crap. I think the good company made the evening a little easier managed.

    Not 3 minutes after she left, Kylie called (three doors down.) “You have to come outside! NORTHERN LIGHTS!” Both of them are bordering on giddy. I personally was skeptical and assumed it was going to be like the last few times we could see them… which was only in photos. But when they showed us on FaceTime we got up and got outside instantly. We actually had to walk down to their place to see them being that they were literally on top of our house.

    There were pink and green lights sweeping across the sky in Central Ohio?!!

    I now not one of us had ever seen the northern lights like that. They were bright, moving, and mesmerizing. The lights didn’t erase the weight of the day. The stress of a hit-and-run, the TV, and the ongoing grief of losing my mom on four years ago. However, they did offer a sudden, unexpected lift.

    Amid all the ordinary chaos and grief, the northern lights were a rare reminder that small bursts of beauty can matter deeply.

    Aurora Borealis Facts & Emotional Reflections

    Auroras, or the northern lights, occur when charged particles from the sun collide with gases in Earth’s atmosphere. Oxygen then produces green or red light, while nitrogen produces blue or purple. These collisions tend to occur near the poles because Earth’s magnetic field funnels the particles there. That being said seeing the aurora over Central Ohio is rare. Though solar storms and high solar activity can make it possible.

    Historical events like the Carrington Event of 1859 show us the power of geomagnetic storms. In extreme cases they produce auroras visible at unusually low latitudes. Telegraph systems across the globe failed during this event, and auroras were visible as far south as the Caribbean. This shows both the beauty and power of the sun interacting with our planet. The northern lights above our house were not of that degree though.

    The tie in is knowing to a lot of people grief and depression feel intertwined or undistinguishable from the other. But grief is episodic, typically tied to loss, and often unpredictable. This bad boy surfaces in waves that can crash with no warning.

    Depression on the other hand can be more persistent, a shadow that affects every part of life, dulling your favorite color and adding weight like nothing else. When I lost my mom in 2021 I was left with a steady ache that resurfaces, to go along with my depression, to go along with my seasonal affective disorder.

    Obviously this is especially worse for some people around death anniversaries, holidays and birthdays. But last night, the aurora brought a lightness, not a fix, but tiny pause in the heaviness. A small moment, bursts of joy, is bigger than you think. These things matter. Things like a friend’s call, a shared meal, or a flickering sky. The moments that anchor us to the ground when life piles on all its shit are usually the most profoundly simple .

    The day had been full of catastrophes. Kelsey’s accident, the TV, the ordinary weight of a difficult year. Tiny moments you’d often let pass unnoticed can fix your day. We let the northern lights force our attention, to them. This gave us pause, notice, and a quiet awe to share. It’s the contrast between chaos and beauty that makes such moments stand out.

    Looking up at the lights, the weight of the day shifted slightly. It isn’t erased. The TV, the wreck, the grief, the ordinary trials are still present. Just now with a reminder of wonder, of unpredictability, and of something bigger than routine and worry. It’s often the little things, like noticing a rare northern lights display, that make a day worth remembering.

    Life continues with its challenges. Grief continues to arrive, as does anxiety, tech failures, accidents, and the everyday weight of living.

    The Northern lights showing off insane red hues over central ohio
    The northern lights in central Ohio

    Links