Size / / /

They come in a great variety

of sizes and shapes.

Whether you wish to find

or avoid them in your travels,

The Black Hole Hunter's Guide

is the most complete and accurate

source of information.

You should think of this book as analogous

to a mushroom hunter's guide,

always keeping in mind the distinction

between mushrooms and toadstools—

a person not thoroughly schooled

who wants to savor black holes

may discover ignorance can result

in one of them devouring you

rather than your experiencing the reverse.

Properly approached

(keep in mind for further comparison

any good birdwatcher's handbook),

these can be your friends

and a constant source

of intellectual nourishment.

Fitted with the proper eye and ear gear,

the devout hunter

will be able to see where the black hole,

shy creature, almost lurks,

weaving light and electromagnetic chatter

into a nest of camouflage,

and perhaps even hear its cry.

The call each produces

to announce its territory

is as distinctive

as the varieties of birdcall.

You may order a copy of the guide

on a thirty-day free trial,

available from the publisher of

Dwarf Stars for Dummies.

and Meteorites' 40 Greatest Hits.

Order now:

copies are vanishing quickly from the shelves.




Duane Ackerson's poetry has appeared in Rolling Stone, Yankee, Prairie Schooner, The Magazine of Speculative Poetry, Cloudbank, alba, Starline, Dreams & Nightmares, and several hundred other places. He has won two Rhysling awards and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. He lives in Salem, Oregon. You can find more of his work in our archives.
Current Issue
22 Apr 2024

We’d been on holiday at the Shoon Sea only three days when the incident occurred. Dr. Gar had been staying there a few months for medical research and had urged me and my friend Shooshooey to visit.
...
Tu enfiles longuement la chemise des murs,/ tout comme d’autres le font avec la chemise de la mort.
The little monster was not born like a human child, yelling with cold and terror as he left his mother’s womb. He had come to life little by little, on the high, three-legged bench. When his eyes had opened, they met the eyes of the broad-shouldered sculptor, watching them tenderly.
Le petit monstre n’était pas né comme un enfant des hommes, criant de froid et de terreur au sortir du ventre maternel. Il avait pris vie peu à peu, sur la haute selle à trois pieds, et quand ses yeux s’étaient ouverts, ils avaient rencontré ceux du sculpteur aux larges épaules, qui le regardaient tendrement.
We're delighted to welcome Nat Paterson to the blog, to tell us more about his translation of Léopold Chauveau's story 'The Little Monster'/ 'Le Petit Monstre', which appears in our April 2024 issue.
For a long time now you’ve put on the shirt of the walls,/just as others might put on a shroud.
Issue 15 Apr 2024
By: Ana Hurtado
Art by: delila
Issue 8 Apr 2024
Issue 1 Apr 2024
Issue 25 Mar 2024
By: Sammy Lê
Art by: Kim Hu
Issue 18 Mar 2024
Strange Horizons
Issue 11 Mar 2024
Issue 4 Mar 2024
Issue 26 Feb 2024
Issue 19 Feb 2024
Issue 12 Feb 2024
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