Look upon the simple life tinged by shades of emotions, all // of it a facade to entertain one’s own delusions.
The Rumen is a collaboration between writers and poets from a variety of demographics and backgrounds. Like the guts of an ungulate, we want The Rumen to be a space for ideas and experiences to digest, ferment, and transform.
Want to support our publication? Become a Subscriber or Buy us a Coffee!

By Ace Boggess
I’ve never walked in driving rain // as she does now, the noise so sudden & // vast as to become its own silence.


I am building a boat in the basement // and there are still so many details to work out.

I opened your bag today. The orange one Mrs. A gave you on your last birthday, the one with the gold buckle you said made you “feel like a senator’s wife.” I don’t know why I was reaching for it.

By Cara Howard
We waited two hours for our turn to pay our respects. Bill and I shifted in a pew at the back of the sanctuary while snapshots from happier days looped on large screens near the altar. Conversations buzzed all around us.

Gold splashes desperate over burning sienna, // The artist is choosing tobacco over bread.

By RL Selden
Molek! Your holy fire consumes // the burning bush speaking these new riddles
Have a poem, short story, or piece of creative non-fiction that you'd like to share with the world? Visit our submissions page to learn more about contributing to The Rumen.