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Stories

The Rot Under the Magnolias

Salvation South talks to five Southern writers who can keep you awake, thinking “just one more chapter,” all night long.

By Chuck Reece /
A black and white duotone photograph showing two men in a side-by-side portrait composition. On the left is music historian Peter Guralnick, a smiling man with glasses and light-colored hair, while on the right is soul-music legend William Bell wearing a dark fedora and sporting a neatly trimmed beard, photographed in dramatic lighting that emphasizes his thoughtful expression.

Movement Music

Soul music wasn’t just about rhythm and blues—it was the soundtrack of the Civil Rights Movement, breaking down racial barriers and fueling the Southern dream of freedom.

By Chuck Reece /

The Prose Editor’s Favorite Poems, and the Poetry Editor’s Favorite Prose

In a role reversal, Salvation South’s poetry editor Andy Fogle and editor-in-chief Chuck Reece showcase their favorite prose and poetry pieces from 2024.

By Chuck Reece and Andy Fogle /

The Poetry Editor’s Favorite Poems

Our poetry editor picks his favorite poems from Salvation South in 2024.

By Andy Fogle /
Close-up shot of a road bike in motion, showing the wheels, chainring, and pedals with black cycling shoes. The image has a dynamic motion blur effect with a yellow-tinted background. The bike appears to be orange or red in color, with black tires and a water bottle mounted on the frame. A dramatic shadow of the bicycle wheel is cast on the ground beneath.

The Demon’s Backbone

A long, early-morning bike ride sparks recollections of a long-ago friendship—with its unspoken words and unresolved tensions.

By Tad Bartlett /
A moody landscape painting depicting a misty lake at night, with dark silhouettes of trees framing the scene. A full moon glows through cloudy skies, casting an ethereal light over the water, creating an atmospheric, serene image of a place that is perfect for nightswimming, and the perfect accompaniment for this piece of Southern nature poetry.

Lake Purdy

Seething with new life, the whole cosmos is present around this one body of water, where the young people are nightswimming.

By Elizabeth S. Gunn /
A layered coconut cake with white frosting on a blue-rimmed plate, served on a decorative doily with a silver cake server. The cake is completely covered in shredded coconut and is three layers tall.

The Cakes of Your Grandmothers

Originally from Tennessee, a longtime Florida educator considers hunger, place, and memory.

By Lisa Roney /
A heart-shaped word cloud on a purple background with hearts. The word cloud is split into two halves - pink and blue - containing words like "Freedom," "Truth," "American," "Democracy," "Kindness," "Patriotism," and "Information" repeated in different sizes and arrangements.

Brushing Away Misinformation

In a routine dental checkup, Adam Klein confronts the spread of misinformation and grapples with the aftermath of a divisive election, reflecting on the fragility of truth and freedom in modern America.

By Adam Klein /
Watercolor painting of tree roots and rivers framed by delicate spring foliage, with sunlight filtering through leafy branches onto rippling blue-gray water.

Roots and Rivers

Kentucky poet David Cazden explores the intricate connections between memory, nature, and the passage of time in two vivid and evocative verses.

By David Cazden /
Gas pump nozzles in green and black stand ready at a fuel station, their chrome accents gleaming against a soft-focus background of summer foliage.

At the Gas Pump

From lottery tickets to bluebells, a Tennessee poet captures the crux of American life at the pump.

By Keith Gorman /

Crossed Signals

Joe Hazard donated the land for a cross that towered over Mayhaw, Mississippi. He never dreamed his generosity would spark a divine comedy.

By Thomas G. Easterling III /
The nightly "Beer and Hymns" gathering at North Carolina's Wild Goose Festival, where ex-evangelicals practice an all-inclusive version of Southern Christianity.

Wild Goose Chase: Finding Faith on the Fringe

If you believe the words “progressive” and “Christianity” don’t go together, you haven’t been to the Wild Goose Festival, a Carolina gathering that challenges perceptions of Southern Christianity.

By Justin Cox and Photographs by Stacy Reece /
A garden growing from the pages of a book to represent Salvation South's growth in its first three years.

Three Years of Southern Stories, and a Dream of Change

As Salvation South marks three years of publication, editor Chuck Reece looks back at a stellar lineup of established Southern authors and fresh voices.

By Chuck Reece /