Congratulations to KVML Pushcart Prize Nominees

Congratulations to KVML Pushcart Prize Nominees

KVML is proud to nominate six creatives for the 2026 Pushcart Prize. The work of these five poets and one fiction writer appeared in So It Goes: The Literary Journal of the Kurt Vonnegut Museum * Library, Issues 13 and 14, which were both published in 2025.

Issue 13 – Labor of Love

Kate Bowers lovingly pays tribute to the masterful work, genius, and loss of renowned Georgia garden designer Ryan Gainey in her poem “Green Man.”

Ken Honeywell’s poem, “Per Mutation,” details the precision work involved in creating poetry—searching for the right word, the right number of words, the right message—while knowing that even in getting everything “right,” change is inevitable. 

Matthew Kruchak imagines a day in the life of a train station janitor in Winnipeg, Canada. Against the advice of others, the man insists on joining visiting executives for lunch at a local diner in his short fiction piece, “Business Mans’ Lunch.”

Issue 14 – Year of the Journalist

Lisa Alvarez wrote her poem, “Ransom Note” to vent her anger over the state of journalism today, and there’s plenty of blame to go around. The conclusion leaves the reader speechless.

Linda Neal Reising honors the work of dedicated journalists in her poem, “The Voice.”  For it is their work—their efforts to understand and tell the truth—that gives voice to the voiceless.

Erica Ricci’s poem, “The Bathers,” celebrates two brave female journalists who defied the odds to get to the truth—to tell stories that needed to be told—even if they suffered as a result. The poem is a stunning testament to Nellie Bly, a muckraker at the turn of the twentieth century, and Lee Miller, whose camera revealed the horrors of World War II.

A nomination for the Pushcart Prize is a big deal. Bill Henderson and Pushcart Press have been accepting nominations from small literary publishers since the 1970s. Their small team of reviewers accepts up to six nominations from journals each year. Prize winners are then published in an annual Pushcart Prize book.

It’s always a joy to highlight the hard work of those who contribute to our journal. While six were nominated for this prize, we are honored and amazed by all who take the time to share their creativity with KVML. We invite you to enjoy the work of these and all of our contributors—writers, poets, photographers, and artists. You may purchase the journals by stopping by the museum or ordering online.