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COMMENTARY
Introducing the Pittsburgh Review of Books
Belt Magazine Becomes Rust Belt Magazine While Getting a New Publishing Partner.
Introducing the Pittsburgh Review of Books
Belt Magazine Becomes Rust Belt Magazine While Getting a New Publishing Partner.
COMMENTARY
Considering Consequences with Sherrie Flick
A conversation with Sherrie Flick, in which the author talks the mystery of bears, the art of joy in writing and life, and her new collections of stories, "I Have Not Considered Consequences" (Autumn House Press, 2025)
Considering Consequences with Sherrie Flick
A conversation with Sherrie Flick, in which the author talks the mystery of bears, the art of joy in writing and life, and her new collections of stories, "I Have Not Considered Consequences" (Autumn House Press, 2025)
Independent, context-driven regional writing. Support Belt Magazine today. »
More Stories
Four Poems by Kris Collins
Hymns & Hers That’s how they mark the restroom doors here, Hymns and Hers. When [...]
Keweenaw County’s Echoes of Copper Mining
Keweenaw County, Michigan, once the heart of America’s copper mining industry, now stands as a quiet testament to the rise and fall of an industrial empire.
Relearning “The Piano Lesson”
The more of Wilson’s plays I read, the more I appreciated The Piano Lesson for its stark symbols and robust characters: Boy Willie and his determination to buy the land his ancestors had slaved on; Berniece, resolved to keep the piano and build a life for her daughter in Pittsburgh; Sutter’s ghost haunting the house, the family, the instrument, from the top of the stairs.
Goodyear & Chapman
A poem by Jeffrey Nathan Marks.
The Sky Belongs to Him – Roberto Clemente’s Poetry
"Baseball is poetry in motion." This phrase, one I use a lot, though it might elicit an arched eyebrow from those unfamiliar with the nuances of either pursuit, perfectly encapsulates the grace with which Clemente played the game. His elegant movements in right field, his powerful swing glorified in stanzas, and his laser-like throws from the outfield demonstrated an athletic artistry that few players have matched.
Onion Domes of the Anthracite
While the coal industry has come and gone, Slavic churches have remained a backbone of the community for over a century. They offer tranquility and craftsmanship in a world that is increasingly devoid of both.
Shut Me Down
A poem by Holly Day.
Gephyrophobia
For starters, we need to talk about suicide. We need to not be afraid to say the word “suicide,” because the word “suicide” will not kill anyone. We need to clean up societal problems that increase the likelihood of suicide, not just push the responsibility for prevention onto the mental health profession. We need to worry less if a homeless person wants to live by choice under a bridge and more about the social bridges of connection, kinship, and community collapsing all around us.
True Story of a Sandwich
the Parker Sub doesn't want those things. It likes simple. Plain. Which is why it's something a simple and plain man has to ask for. But I am a Parker. And I do want those: the pepper, the onions, the upgrades. That’s because I see our sub as a project, not a perfected object.
Two Poems by Patrick Kindig
Still Life with Lake, Lighthouse, Canadian Wildfire Muskegon, MI The long low sweep of the [...]
A Rust Belt Poetry Renaissance
"We can be of our region and communities while also being part of a larger thing—whether that be American poetry, university press publishing, or just publishing in general.”
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From the Archives
Producing Meaningful Asian American Stories in Minneapolis
The Minneapolis theatres exploring Asian American life in the Midwest, one scene at a time.
Finding Hope in Wicker Park’s Mexican Community
Coronavirus has devastated Latino communities in Illinois. But in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood, one family is working and hoping for a better tomorrow.
Recipe: Rudy’s Humble Paczki
A Fat Tuesday tradition.
Recipe: Slovenian Sauerkraut Soup (Jota)
Feeding the holiday spirit.
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