​The idea for Human/Kind was conceived in mid-2018 from the founder's concern that there was not enough work being published in the Japanese forms in regards to current events, social justice, and other important humancentric topics. After a year of taking submissions, we realized that there was not enough diversity among writers practicing these forms and therefore we were lacking representation of the wider community. So, in 2020, we have begun to consider general poetry, creative non-fiction, and flash fiction in order to broaden our scope and be more inclusive.
​Human/Kind Journal is a topical and contemporary journal of poetry, prose, art, and hybrids that examines and reflects on the human experience, social structures, injustices, culture, current events, and history. In a world fraught with division, we've created this space to focus on our commonalities as humans and embrace our differences as individuals. We welcome writers of all backgrounds and wish to highlight and promote underrepresented voices in the writing community.
​Help us shed light on the important issues of today, and share personal experiences, whether they be words of testimony, reflection, or promise. We're also interested in the area where humans and the natural world meet and overlap - not merely observations of nature, but reflections on our impact and responsibility.
We want your stories and vignettes of grief, frustration, revelation, random acts of kindness, human interest, personal struggles and victories. Give us the raw, the gritty, the hopeful, the movingly joyous and sad. We're looking for the truth about the world we live in, as told from various points of view. Make us feel. ​Make us think. Send us pieces that are meaningful to you.
​That's not to say we want everything to be heavy. We appreciate the use of subtle humor which highlights the absurdities and contradictions in our world. We value the reachable, yet non-sentimental, the specific, the personal, the fresh.
In regards to style, we are looking for pieces that require some work on the part of the reader, to make them come full-circle; not inaccessible, but not obvious. We want to be sure that they meet the criteria of being topical, contemporary (in form or topic), fresh takes, strong/interesting juxtapositions, and being generally good poems in regards to rhythm, repeated sounds, etc.
Notes​
​Human/Kind Journal embraces diversity and a sense of community. We will in no way tolerate any hate speech toward any group of people or individual. Hateful material will be rejected the first time and if repeated will be sent straight to the trash bin with no response. We also reserve the right to remove anything we have published upon learning about abusive behavior on the part of the creator.
While Human/Kind Journal focuses primarily on work in the English Language, we welcome submissions from individuals who write in a language other than, or in addition to, English. Such submissions should be accompanied by a fluent English translation, as we are unable to translate at this time. The original and the translation will be published together.
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