• Golden sunlight spills across a tall sunflower leaning into the light, its bright yellow petals catching the glow of a warm afternoon. The background blurs into soft greens and sparkling sun flares, giving the whole image a dreamy, late-summer feel. say hello Text: Sunshine, John McMahon, POETRY

    Sunshine

    Don’t leave it to chance —
    say hello,
    before the seeds pass us by.

  • Sunlight breaks through clouds in a golden sky, with long rays shining down over a landscape of distant hills and silhouetted trees along the horizon. The MockingOwl Roost owl logo appears in the top right corner. golden dragon TEXT: Golden Dragon, Poetry, David Dephy

    Golden Dragon

    The dragon is golden. The sun is the Golden Dragon, encircled by rays, burning spirits, cleaning heavens from shadows.

  • A lone, leafless tree stands in the middle of a wide, snow-covered field, its dark branches reaching outward against a glowing sunset sky. The horizon burns with warm shades of gold and orange, while heavy gray storm clouds linger overhead, creating a quiet contrast between darkness and light. power lines hum Text: Stillness After the Storm, Sara Etgen-Baker, Poetry

    Stillness After the Storm

    The power lines hum,
    low and uncertain,
    like a man trying to remember
    the words to a song…

  • A sharply focused close-up of a honeybee perched on the bright center of a yellow flower, its delicate wings lifted slightly as it gathers pollen. The soft green background blurs into the distance, creating a calm springtime scene that feels alive with quiet motion and natural purpose. yellow confetti TEXT: Spring’s Golden Menace, Poetry, Sara Etgen-Baker

    Spring’s Golden Menace 

    A sneeze hangs in the air like a threat,
    while the oak tree chuckles in yellow confetti.
    My car wears a coat of guilty dust,
    proof of spring’s indecent proposal.

  • Warm light glows across rows of polished wooden piano or organ keys, stretching diagonally into the distance. A rich strip of red felt runs between the rows, adding a bold line of color against the smooth wood. The repeating keys create a steady, rhythmic pattern that feels quiet and expectant, like music waiting to be played. The title sits across the top in textured script, with the author’s name just below. cembalo - TEXT: Listen to Handel, Nick Cooke, Poetry

    Listening To Handel

    This is where
    The melody comes in
    And the raging mind has
    No choice but to simmer…

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
April 9, 2026
A packed theatre audience rises to its feet in a glowing auditorium, facing a brightly lit stage as applause fills the room. The atmosphere feels electric and celebratory. Ain’t Too Proud TEXT: Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations, A Review of the West End Musical, Theatre Review, Perri Dodgson
Published by Perri Dodgson at April 9, 2026
Categories

Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations — A Review of the West End Musical

Well deserving of all its awarded accolades, Ain’t Too Proud is a masterpiece of entertainment. It takes you to the highs and the lows of the music industry in the sixties...
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April 7, 2026
Close up of a hand on the handle of the coffin of a frail lady. TEXT: A Lesson Learnt - Perri Dodgson - Fiction
Published by Perri Dodgson at April 7, 2026
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A Lesson Learnt

The tissue-paper wrapped clutch bag had been nestled at the back of Clara’s wardrobe ever since she had moved in. She was a frail little lady who fell easily if she didn’t have a sturdy support, and she could be forgetful at times. Everyone was surprised that she’d never had an official diagnosis of dementia, although if she had, there’d be nothing anyone could do to cure it.
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April 4, 2026
Deep orange and yellow sunset with silhouette of a man and woman holding hands by a tree - TEXT: Lines We Cross - Fiction - Tulip Chowdhury
Published by Tulip Chowdhury at April 4, 2026
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Lines We Cross

Joshua turned off the car radio and leaned back in his seat. His senses were alert, tuned to the daily news about the plight of migrants at the United States–Mexico border. A male voice reported the latest separations of families caught in the crackdown.
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