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Nonfiction

Issue 53 • Spring 2026

Photograph of neon-lighted blue dragon arch gate entrance at night with small human silhouettes walking below

Illumination: An Essay in Two Acts

By Jackie Martin

Colorful abstract image of a maze with a watercolor flourish

Swamp Heart

By Samantha Edmonds

Abstract diptych painting with colors of yellow, red, and blue

The Cry of the Cicada

By Jeffrey J. Higa

Issue 52 • Fall 2025

Painting of blue spiral galaxy

Amerikanka

By Patricia Maciesz

Sundog over cornfield and barn

Horse Girl

By Kaila Lancaster

Issue 51 • Spring 2025

Photograph of two cats lounging

Good Babies

by Kasey Payette

Photograph of a stained glass piece of a cactus.

Found Grocery List

by Winslow Schmelling

Photo of an abstract structure

Walking

by Kelsey Leach

Issue 50 • Fall 2024

Photograph of Shiprock in New Mexico against a blue sky with clouds

Never Flourish, Never Die

by Taylor Roseweeds

Circle Game

by Erin McAllester

Photograph of a highway cutting in a curve through the side of a mountain.

Your Dad Is a Dog

by Kian Razi

Issue 49 • Spring 2024

Manipulated photograph showing lights and semi-abstract images

Malum Malus

By Camille Louise Goering

Graphite drawing of a park with thick trees and empty white chairs scattered across the ground.

Can You Hear Me?

By Monika Dziamka

Painting of a church scene with surreal elements.

When It’s Okay to Say Shit

By J.C. Graham

Issue 48 • Fall 2023

a classical statue mixed media collage

A Forbidden Thing

By Tolu Daniel

a photograph of a young boy looking through a binocular viewing stand at the beach and waves

Latrina’s Little Sister

By Guarina Lopez

illustration of rock layers

Doom

By Kristi D. Osorio

illustration of contortions in clay beds

Roots of Racism

By Allen M. Price

Issue 47 • Spring 2023

Monochrome blue photo of male-figured statue leaning over pond

Instructions On How To Believe

by Joanna Acevedo

Abstract purple painting

Songs of Nerdlesque, vol. 1

by Lauren Emily Whalen

Abstract collage

Unclean

by Shawna Ervin

Drawing of pink and yellow flowers growing toward sky

Freud’s The Uncanny and the Ghost in the Nursery

by Sadie Hoagland

Issue 46 • Fall 2022

Drawing of coffee cup on abstract background

I Will Do Anything You Say

by C.R Arrow

Drawing of naked woman with newspaper over her head laying in armchair

Special Victims Unit

by Amy Scheiner

Drawing of hand emerging from pink blanket to hold another hand

Flesh Record

by Rachael Greene

Issue 45 • Spring 2022

Painting superimposed onto photo of cell tower

Captive Bolt Stunner

by Kasey Peters

Abstract painting including green, yellow, and blue

A Study of Intimacies

by Gardiner Brown

Issue 44 • Fall 2021

Abstract image of boards forming X

Buckshot

by Suzanne Martin

drawing of woman holding frond

Stars from a Burning House

by Rowan Lucas

Issue 43 • Spring 2021

Abstract drawing of vaguely-human shaped figure with hands coming out of it

The Doctor Will See You Now

by Eliya Smith

Photo of red wall with bolts painted over

The Bêbeda

by Carmelinda Scian

Program for the third annual Crítica Nueva lecture. Rudolfo A. Anaya Papers, MSS 321, box 23, folder 30.

Resisting the Darkness of Boxes: A Conversation with María Teresa Márquez

by Melina Vizcaíno-Alemán

Issue 42 • Fall 2020

Black and white photo of old couple with colorful painting over their faces

Shitkicker

by Jeremy Mata Kinter

Tess Fahlgren in brown shirt

feast day: a lyric

by Tess Fahlgren

Issue 41 • Spring 2020

Molly McCloy in blue t-shirt and black jacket

Fragile Donkey

by Molly McCloy

Purple and orange watercolor painting of girl with brown eyes and freckles

Pony Legs

by Ashley Hand

Issue 40 • Fall 2019

Orange and yellow finger painting of bunny

Welcome to Iowa: Letters to Carp and Other Immigrants

by Kartika Budhwar

Rudolfo Anaya young

Blue Mesa Review’s 30th Anniversary Interview with Founder Rudolfo Anaya

by Tori Cárdenas

Photo of pueblo-style entryway

Border Sisters

by Toni Muñoz-Hunt

Issue 39 • Spring 2019

Photo of painted rock placed on notebook paper

Stain, Imprint, Communion

by Harrison Candelaria Fletcher

Photo of white-to-pink ombre

How to Celebrate

by Maritza N. Estrada

Issue 38 • Fall 2018

Austyn Gaffney in green and yellow shirt

Homing

by Austyn Gaffney

Cover of Girl With Death Mask including woman fading at edges on black background

BMR Reconnects with Jennifer Givhan

by Luisa Pennington and Frances Badgett

Black and white drawing of cluttered bathroom counter

Pergelation

by Margaret Adams

Issue 37 • Spring 2018

Cover of The Line Becomes a River including image of wall diving sand

An Interview with Francisco Cantū

by Olivia Padilla

Woman standing in window of large brick building

Eighty-Eight

by Jessica Yen

Cover of The Recovering by Leslie Jamison

A Nonfiction Craft Conversation with Leslie Jamison

by Hayley Peterson

Telephone pole flyers covered with red paint

Kooka on Fire

by Francesca Allegra

Issue 36 • Fall 2017

Shattering Silence

by Yvonne Conza

Cover of The Unsettlers by Mark Sundeen

The Interview: a Conversation with Mark Sundeen

by David O’Connor

Man in car pulling on lower lip

On Playing Yu-Gi-Oh as a Nerdy, Brown Kid in Houston

by Reyes Ramirez

Issue 35 • Spring 2017

Photo of Lori Ostlund in black scoop neck shirt

Talking Shop: an Interview with Lori Ostlund

by David O’Connor

Black and white photo of rock formation

Hózhó

by Leeanna T. Torres

Issue 34 • Fall 2016

Ghosted Image of a Naked Girl

by Anne Riesenberg

Cover of Landscape with Headless Mama including woman in white dress holding marionette feathered pens.

On “Finding Dory” and Resilience: An Interview with Jennifer Givhan

by Charissa Inman

Black and white photo of old woman adjusting her headscarf

We Will Be Bridges, We Will Be Dead-End Streets

by Naomi Washer

Cover of The Weight of Shadows, including nose-down image of man in business casual wear

An Interview with Author José Orduña

by David O’Connor

50 Lire

by Sara Marinelli

Issue 33 • Spring 2016

Fear Circuitry

by Deb Werrlein

Collage including woman, bacteria, and street sign

Texture of Silence

by Pamela Schmid

Black and white photo of low clouds over mountains

This is How it Could Have Gone Instead of How it Went

by Christiana Louisa Langenberg

An Interview with Erika L. Sánchez

by Erika L. Sánchez and Blue Mesa Review staff