Humana Obscura

Humana Obscura Humana Obscura is an independent nature-focused literary magazine. The magazine accepts poetry, short prose under 1,000 words, and artwork in various medium.

As our name suggests—“obscured human”—we focus on work where the human element is concealed but not entirely absent, aiming to revive the nature genre. Humana Obscura’s mission is to publish and promote the best work of today’s voices and talents. Our intention is to inspire readers and enrich their lives while providing an inclusive space for elevating the voices, expressions, and creative work o

f our contributors. Founded in 2020, Humana Obscura is published online and in print twice yearly, and features work from around the world. Visit our website for submission guidelines.

Dear Humana Obscura Creative Community,After much reflection, I’ve made the difficult decision to place Humana Obscura’s...
01/10/2026

Dear Humana Obscura Creative Community,

After much reflection, I’ve made the difficult decision to place Humana Obscura’s quarterly publications on a temporary hiatus. Over the past months, my personal and professional life has grown increasingly demanding, and despite my deep love for this magazine and the community that surrounds it, I’m no longer able to give it the time, focus, and creative energy it deserves.

This is not goodbye. It’s simply a pause—one that will allow me to return refreshed, re-centered, and ready to continue building the publication we all care so much about. I’m incredibly proud of what we’ve created together: a home for nature-focused art and writing, a haven for quiet beauty, and a community bound by curiosity and reverence for the natural world.

I am, however, excited to share that Humana Obscura will return with a special haiku anthology planned for 2026. More details will come as we get closer, and I can’t wait to bring that collection to life with you.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your support, your artistry, your patience, and your belief in this publication. This community means more to me than you know.

Until we meet again soon,

Bri Bruce
Editor-in-Chief

In the Winter 2025 issue of , we interviewed writer Abby Harding. Check out her interview on page 92, where she talks m...
01/06/2026

In the Winter 2025 issue of , we interviewed writer Abby Harding. Check out her interview on page 92, where she talks more about her work, the reality of writer’s block, and what’s on her creative horizon.
Abby Harding writes from her home in a small farm town in central Illinois. Her work draws on the natural world, focusing on the intersection of grief and hope. When she’s not writing or gazing into the middle distance, she and her husband homeschool their three children and care for a small menagerie of animals (six chickens, a guinea pig, and one geriatric cat). Her first poetry collection, Some Days Are Sandstone, debuted in October 2024, and a book of haiku is scheduled for publication in early 2026. Learn more about Harding’s work at abbyharding.com

In the Winter 2025 issue of , we interviewed photographer Carol Haynes. Check out her interview on page 88, where she s...
01/04/2026

In the Winter 2025 issue of , we interviewed photographer Carol Haynes. Check out her interview on page 88, where she shares how she started, her creative process, and what’s next.
Carol Haynes is a self-taught mobile photographer based in Canada’s National Capital Region. Since 2013, she has used her Samsung Galaxy to explore quiet textures and subtle transformations in nature—from frost and snowflakes to water, light, and seasonal detail. Her work is a form of visual journaling, shaped by curiosity and a love of small moments. Haynes embraces her amateur status as a quiet strength, curating each image with care and emotional intent. Her photography has been recognized by Samsung and featured on their official account. Find Carol Haynes’ work on Instagram at 

In the Winter 2025 issue of , we interviewed poet Sukriti Patny. Check out her interview on page 78, where she talks ab...
01/01/2026

In the Winter 2025 issue of , we interviewed poet Sukriti Patny. Check out her interview on page 78, where she talks about how her faith informs her work, what inspires her, and what she’s learned through her craft.
Sukriti Patny is a poet by dawn, and an overthinker by day. Her work explores the intersection of emotion and the body, presents everyday-ordinary things that leave her awestruck, and hopes to highlight the reverence that nature invokes in her. She currently lives in India with her husband and her anxiety. Find Patny’s work on Instagram at  and on Substack: sukritipatny.substack.com

Meet the Winter 2025 issue Featured Poet David Sleeth-Keppler David Sleeth-Keppler, PhD is a new poet who has found his ...
12/31/2025

Meet the Winter 2025 issue Featured Poet David Sleeth-Keppler
David Sleeth-Keppler, PhD is a new poet who has found his voice in midlife, balancing a twenty-year career in psychology and marketing. He lives among coast redwoods, the fog and the sea in Arcata, California, with his wife and children, and serves as associate professor in Cal Poly Humboldt’s School of Business. He enjoys walks with his son at the Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary and with his wife in the redwood community forest.

Meet the Winter 2025 issue Featured Artist Brooke Ryan.Brooke Ryan views life as a collection of fleeting moments. She c...
12/30/2025

Meet the Winter 2025 issue Featured Artist Brooke Ryan.
Brooke Ryan views life as a collection of fleeting moments. She covets the effects of changing seasons on the natural world: the lifecycle of leaves, the stark beauty of tree branches reflecting on water in spring, and the amorphous forms of clouds. Ryan often shoots with a full-spectrum converted camera, her photographs revealing a realm that extends outside our vision, inviting us to pause and consider what lies beyond what we see. Her photography has been exhibited across the USA and is in homes worldwide. See her work at BrookeRyanPhotography.com and on Instagram

Meet Brigitte B. Burckhardt, the Winter 2025 issue cover artist. Brigitte B. Burckhardt began taking photographs as a c...
12/29/2025

Meet Brigitte B. Burckhardt, the Winter 2025 issue cover artist.
Brigitte B. Burckhardt began taking photographs as a child inspired by her grandfather. In her twenties, she travelled the globe and discovered her passion for landscape and street photography. Today she is also experimenting with abstract approaches. Her work has been published and exhibited in Europe and North America. Currently she is working on three long-term projects, hopefully they will get published. More of her work can be seen and purchased on Instagram () and on her website: www.bbbphotography.com

ON THE BACK COVER: “Longing” by Rose-Marie Keller-FlaigRose-Marie Keller Flaig, based in southern Germany, finds inspira...
12/24/2025

ON THE BACK COVER: “Longing” by Rose-Marie Keller-Flaig
Rose-Marie Keller Flaig, based in southern Germany, finds inspiration in nature’s beauty. When she was doing her PhD in materials science, high-resolution images of the structural composition of metals reminded her of sacred glass windows. Back then, she realized that nothing she sees is just an object to her, but always triggers feelings and associations. Through macro photography, she skillfully guides viewers’ focus to the essence of her subjects. Her goal is to evoke the same emotions and connections she experiences while capturing these moments, inviting viewers to share her perspective. Check out her work on Instagram:

INSIDE THE FRONT COVER: “Frost on Rose Hips” by Caroline Brown Caroline Brown is a documentary style photographer captur...
12/23/2025

INSIDE THE FRONT COVER: “Frost on Rose Hips” by Caroline Brown
Caroline Brown is a documentary style photographer capturing visual narratives of the world around her. She volunteers with the Owl Watch, Audubon Society Shore Bird Stewardship program and raises butterflies in her garden. Brown’s photography has been exhibited at the San Diego Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, the State Museum of Pennsylvania, and the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies and other locations. She has received over 25 awards for photography and is widely published.

ON THE COVER: Dancing Snow by Brigitte B. Burckhardt literaryjournal
12/23/2025

ON THE COVER: Dancing Snow by Brigitte B. Burckhardt
literaryjournal

Congratulations to each of our Winter 2025 issue contributors! Thank you for making this issue possible and for becoming...
12/22/2025

Congratulations to each of our Winter 2025 issue contributors! Thank you for making this issue possible and for becoming part of or returning to our creative community!

It’s officially winter and our latest issue is here!The Winter 2025 Issue of Humana Obscura features work from 54 contri...
12/21/2025

It’s officially winter and our latest issue is here!

The Winter 2025 Issue of Humana Obscura features work from 54 contributors from around the globe, including cover art by Brigitte B. Burckhardt, back cover art by Rose-Marie Keller-Flaig, interviews with artist Carol Haynes and poets Abby Harding and Sukriti Patny, and spotlights on the work of poet David Sleeth-Keppler and photographer Brooke Ryan.

Other contributors include Alexandra Karnasopoulos, Anne Kulou, Barbara Hickson, Beverley Sylvester, Caroline Brown, Christen Lee, Cynthia Anderson, D A Angelo, Debbie Strange, Dena Heitfield Smith, Diane Perazzo, Ellen Rowland, Ethan Pines, James Toupin, Jason Dean, Jason Harlow, Jen Lothrigel, Jennifer Gurney, Jil St. Ledger-Roty, Jim Stewart, Karah Snyder, Kiera Obbard, Kristine Amundrud, Lauren Chavez, Lee-Anne Schmidt, Lisa Perkins, Louis Talbot, Luke Levi, Melissa Dennison, Michael J. Kolb, Mike Taylor, Najib Joe Hakim, Nicholas Olah, Robert MacLean, Ron C. Moss, Ruth Sharman, Sarah Banks, Sarah Hewitt, Sarah Lilja, Shutta Crum, Sierra Glassman, Silvia Felizia, Soumya Mukherjee, Talitha May, Thomas Smith, Xenia Tran, and Yana Kane. 

Click the link in our bio to read more.

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