Glimmers
A collaboration between The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press and Poetry Pharmacy
wee poetry pharmacist sparrow by Colin Thom
The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press and Poetry Pharmacy invite you to write poems on the theme of “glimmers”.
Glimmers are small, positive moments that spark a sense of calm, joy, or safety in our everyday lives—the opposite of stress triggers. They’re often subtle and easy to overlook: the warmth of sunlight on your face, the sound of waves in the distance, a kind smile from a stranger, or the first sip of coffee in the morning. Unlike big, dramatic sources of happiness, glimmers are brief and gentle, but they matter because they help regulate our nervous system and shift us out of fight-or-flight mode. Noticing these micro moments trains the brain to look for safety and pleasure rather than threat, which can gradually improve mood, resilience, and overall well-being. By paying attention to glimmers, we build a habit of grounding ourselves in the present and finding comfort in the ordinary. These moments are pure medicine for the soul.
The Wee Sparrow Poetry Press´ editors Claire Thom and Cristina M.R. Norcross, and Poetry Pharmacy´s Deborah Alma will choose 26 poems to be made into poetry pills and sold in Poetry Pharmacy´s shops. The selected poets will also receive one pill bottle each.
A sample image of poetry pill bottles.
An example of the size of the poems included in the poetry pill bottles.
Here is a beautiful example of a glimmer moment by Cristina M.R. Norcross:
The hay bales called to me
as if singing the day into existence,
a chorus of wheat angels beckoning the morning,
teasing us all into an awakening.
-From “Hay bale Awakenings”
Published in Cristina´s collection “The Poetry Apothecary”, Kelsay Books, 2024
Please read the following submission guidelines carefully.
Submissions open 15th to 30th June (submissions will close at midnight CET)
(Poems sent outside these dates will not be considered)
· A maximum of two poems per poet may be submitted.
· Poems must be previously unpublished. (This includes social media, personal blogs/websites etc.)
· Poems must be untitled.
· Poems must be 250 characters maximum, including spaces.
· Poems must be up to four lines maximum but can be fewer than four.
· Please send your poems in a word or pdf document attachment titled “Glimmers” to glimmerspoetry@gmail.com. Your name must not appear on the document as submissions will be read blind.
· In the body of your email, please provide your full name as you would like to see it in print and your country of residence.
Happy writing!
Every evening I think of one glimmer that I noticed during the day, write it on a post-it note, and stick it on the wall opposite my bed. It means the last thing my brain holds before going to sleep is always positive. And over the course of many months you build a huge visual reminder of how much good there is in the world. Has done wonders for my well-being. So I'm really excited about this collab! Thank you for continuing to give so much of your own time and energy to help others. (That's a glimmer in itself.)
Hello - a question, does unpublished mean in a publication? What about if a small poem has been on social media?
This is a great project, looking forward to it! Hope you receive many glimmers from the Wee Sparrow community.