Top Stories
New stories you’ll love, handpicked for you by our team and updated daily.
We Are Not Lazy Because We Are On Benefits
My life has not been easy. I struggled at school with bullying and school work with very little support available to me, and that continued into adulthood, where it interfered with my mental health, and my ability to find work.
Carol TownendPublished 10 days ago in The SwampPoems published by the Renard Press.
I have been privileged to have been published on three occasions by this fabulous independent press. I have received incredible support from the owner and editor Will Dady. Renard Press is a carbon neutral publisher and a vocal supporter of the LGBTQ+ community. Check out their books on https://renardpress.com.
Alyson SmithPublished 17 days ago in PoetsTil Death Do Us Part
In the murmur of a dim-lit church, where incense clings to ancient prayers, we stood, crowned in glory, vowing in anxious whispers
Randy BakerPublished 8 days ago in Poets2024 Met Gala
*Disclaimer: Not my usual content. I never post controversial things. I waited until I was calm and sound of mind before posting this. Yes, I made it in bitterness, which is already out of character for me. Usually, I write a vague poem to express my emotions, but I wanted to say something about this. So, I told myself if I still felt like I needed to get this off my chest come evening, then I'd post it. Some of you might have a difference of opinion, and that's fine. I'm just using my very small platform and small voice to express some triggering matters for not just myself, but thousands of people in the U.S. right now.*
A Gneiss View
It was a bright day in early March, the sun was shining and a substantial fall of fresh snow lay pristine under an arching blue sky. I stepped off the train at Lairg, midway along the branch line that winds its way from Inverness to Wick in the far north of Scotland and wondered whether the postbus would be in the station car park or somewhere between where I stood and Lochinver, lodged up to its headlights in snow.
Fuamnach and Eoch
Who am I to stand in the way of romance? A mother, a wife, a goddess with power The shrew who couldn’t take being replaced
Robyn LittlePublished 7 days ago in PoetsSpiritual Purpose
I have been very blessed in my life. I had an enduring marriage, which was filled with true, and undying love, and when that experience came to an end, my spiritual awakening began.
Kaylon ForsythPublished 10 days ago in HumansWhy it's not cringey to self-publish your own book
Let's talk frankly for a minute. When many of us writers first dreamt of "being a writer" what we saw in our fantasies was probably something glamorous: a clambering agent, a traditionally published book, and perhaps even a red carpet debut for the movie adaptation of our bestseller. Very few of us initially imagined the perhaps less-glamorous world of self-publishing.
The Gamble
He checked the cards displayed on his forearm. Unfortunately, they didn’t compose a winning hand, but the rest of the table didn’t know.
Jarrett SmithPublished 7 days ago in Fiction📢 Raise Your Voice Thread: 05/09/2024
Our “Raise Your Voice Threads” are hosted every other Thursday at 12PM ET to offer creators more avenues to uncover exceptional stories on Vocal. As we are continuously searching for fresh creators and inspiring stories, this thread provides an opportunity to exchange and discuss the stories that have moved and motivated us on Vocal.
Raise Your Voice by VocalPublished 7 days ago in ResourcesDay's End
Wings arrow sunward piercing sapphire; bloody light slowly sieves to stars. . . Thank you for reading! This haiku is one in a collection:
Sonia Heidi UnruhPublished 8 months ago in PoetsDay Break
Can I feel your rage this ‘rise, or is the beast within me still, while I sip my morning coffee and drown my wake-up pill?
KJ AartilaPublished 8 days ago in PoetsPsychomachia
"Fragile. Handle With Care." You dropped my heart Cognizant it was made of glass I watched it descend in slow motion A careless mishap? A sabotage, mayhap?
Dharrsheena Raja SegarranPublished 8 days ago in PoetsObsidian Light
Beneath Mount Etna The cavern’s floor was rugged and jet black. Rosalie needed to pay close attention to every step she took or she’d risk tripping on hardened clumps of lava. The ominous glow from the cinnabar combined with the firelight from Orazio’s torch kept the cavern illuminated enough to slowly maneuver through.
Driver's Test
"She wants to know what happens if she answers wrong," I told the man behind the counter. Eyeing my teenage daughter, he replied, "Oh, a red light flashes and a siren goes off, so everyone knows!"
Andrea CorwinPublished 8 days ago in FamiliesBlurry Outlines and Bad Words
I am caught in the teeth of the moderator, Stuck between their molars and making the King of censorship Chew on something they don't quite understand.
Silver Serpent BooksPublished 8 days ago in PoetsNational Lost Sock Memorial Day
On May 9th, we mourn our socks. Vanishing to interdimensional portals Created by our washing machines and dryers Stolen by furry or feathered fiends
Natasja RosePublished 8 days ago in PoetsVocal Bonus Leaderboard: 05/08/2024
Welcome to the weekly update of the Leaderboard! We're thrilled to showcase Vocal's most discussed stories, popular picks, and rising stars. Let's dive into this past week's standout contributors and their remarkable achievements.
Vocal TeamPublished 8 days ago in ResourcesMemorable
When lightening cracks and everything shudders I always think I am the white in between existing for precisely one flashing moment
Dog Number 13
May 15, 2023 Strange things are happening. Good-strange, bad-strange, and strange-strange. For starters, me and all my litter mates are able to stand. Some of us can even wiggle around in a clumsy manner. I say wiggle because it isn’t quite walking but it isn’t quite crawling. We just sort of stand and wiggle and fall and take a few steps and then crawl and then get up again. It is in this manner we are able to move around to some degree and explore our surroundings. Naturally we cannot go far. Which is ok, I suppose, because I am very small and I need my mother for food and my siblings to keep me warm and I feel very loved and comforted by them in some way, so I don’t know why I would need to go very far. Having four legs, I must admit, is very strange. It is not a surprise to me that it is challenging to coordinate them to move in the order they need to move. But I can get around a little bit, my eyes can stay open for much longer periods of time now, and it is easier to understand what is happening. So this is new.
Morgan LongfordPublished 9 days ago in Chapters