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Stardust & Scribbles Poetry Contest
Stardust & Scribbles is a celebration of imagination in its rawest and most radiant forms. Within these pages, I found stories that spark, verses that shimmer, and voices that aren’t afraid to dream—or to dig deep. The entries reminded me that even the smallest scribble can carry galaxies of meaning.
Judging this collection was a joy, full of excitement and imagination that made me pause, reflect, and smile. Each contributor brought something uniquely their own—whether stardust or scribble, or something beautifully in between. You’ve all proven that creativity doesn’t need permission—it just needs a page. Thank you for trusting me with your words, your wonder, and your wild ideas. May this anthology inspire more hearts to write, to imagine, and to shine.
Warm regards,
Pooja Vishwanathan
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The Scribbles that Shined - Spotlight on the Winners!
When we opened submissions for Stardust & Scribbles, we expected spark—but what we got was starlight. Pages spilled over with heart, imagination, and a kind of quiet brilliance that only comes from creating freely. These weren’t just words on a page—they were confessions, spells, stories with soul. Scribbles that shimmered.
Narrowing down the entries was like picking constellations in a sky full of stars. Every piece had its glow. But a few rose above—radiant, raw, and unforgettable.
So here's to the daydreamers, the midnight writers, the margin doodlers. Your words matter - your scribbles shine. And if you ever doubt it… just look up. The stars are listening.
So, with hearts full and ink-stained hands, we’re proud to announce the selected standouts.
A story that danced between whimsy and wonder – pure stardust on the page. The brightest star in our sky—this one takes the galaxy.
RYAN RAHMAN – A CELESTIAL DREAM
Ryan Rahman is a writer based in Orlando, Florida. His previous works have appeared in Beyond Words Magazine, The Stardust Review, Half and One, BarBar, Humans of The World, WILDsound Writing Festival (Festival for Poetry), Wingless Dreamer Publisher, and Moonstone Arts Center. When he’s not writing, Ryan enjoys reading, listening to music, watching movies, and traveling.
There are pieces that sparkle—and then there are those that glow from within. "Take Me to the Sea" is a quiet kind of magic, the kind you almost miss if you’re not paying attention. With delicate lines and a steady heart, Sara Beeman weaves something soft, sincere, and gently unforgettable. It doesn’t shout—it hums. And long after reading, we found ourselves still humming with it.
Like the sea itself, it pulls you in slowly, and once you’re immersed, it’s impossible to leave.
SARA BEEMAN – TAKE ME TO THE SEA
Sara Beeman is a junior English Literature and Creative Writing double major at SUNY Plattsburgh. Her writing has appeared in Plattsburgh’s student-run literary magazine, NorthStar and the blog of Saranac Review, of which she was a staff member. Her work is forthcoming in Windmill: The Hofstra Journal of Art & Literature, Mary Baldwin’s Outrageous Fortune and the Macabre Musings anthology by Wingless Dreamer.
Some pieces sweep you off your feet, others pull you under. "Metamorphosis" by Scott-Patrick Mitchell does both, with a wave of emotion and imagery that feels both vast and intimate. There’s a current of longing and a rush of rawness, as though each word is tied to the ebb and flow of the tides. It’s a story that lingers like salt on your skin—familiar, yet endlessly deep.
Bold, tender, and truly fab—this piece transforms, then transforms you.
SCOTT-PATRICK MITCHELL
Scott-Patrick Mitchell is a WA-based queer non-binary poet who was the recipient of 2022’s Red Room Poetry Fellowship and Westerly’s 2022 Mid-Career Fellowship. Their debut poetry collection Clean (Upswell Publishing, 2022) was shortlisted for The Prime Minister’s Literary Awards, The WA Premier’s Book Awards and The Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards.
Some stories don’t shout—they speak softly and stay with you. These tender pieces had heart, imagination, and a quiet brilliance that caught us by surprise and never really let go. Each one brought something special to the page—something honest, thoughtful, and beautifully human. To each of you: your words mattered. Your scribbles shimmered. You reminded us that not all stars need to be loud to shine. And for that, we’re truly grateful.
AJ CHILSON – TO MY SPECIAL SOMEONE
A.J. Chilson is an award-winning author over 50 books; some of the books are poetry collections, but most are children's work. He currently lives and works in Winnsboro, Texas, where he seeks to inspire others.
KEIRAN FURLONG - HEARING THE SOUND OF YOUR LOVE IN SILENCE
adult who never planned to be one, survivor of horrors and wonders which I credit mostly to ink I spilled on pages no one even ever read. trans/gay poet in free time hospice nurse in most of my time.
TANIA PRZYWARA - BENEATH THE RED SCAFFOLDING
Tania Przywara is an American poet with works published in the anthologies Breath of Love and The Book of Black by Wingless Dreamer Publisher, among others, as well as in Volumes 2 and 3 of Through Loving Words by City Limits Publishing. A classical pianist, composer, and photographer as well, Przywara often finds that her passions intertwine with each other. Above all, Przywara aims to express the beauty of life and love through her original works and inspire others to live ever more deeply and authentically. Learn more at taniaprzywara.com.
HAJER REQUIQ – MY ONLY FRIEND
Hajer Requiq is an emerging female poet from Sfax, Tunisia, who holds a bachelor's degree in the English Language, Literature and Civilization from the Higher Institute of Applied Studies in Humanities of Mahdia, as well as a Master’s degree in English Literature from the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of Sfax. Her poems appear or are forthcoming in Poetry Festival and Lunch Ticket.
ASWATHY MENON - COPIES OF PEOPLE WE WANT TO BE
Aswathy is a poet and writer from South India. Her inspiration to write stems from the joy that she has felt when reading extraordinary pieces of writing, and hopes that someone somewhere will read her writing and feel a little bit better about their day!
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