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crowkeys.bsky.social
Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS CLOSED
@crowkeys.bsky.social
460 followers 440 following 190 posts
Seeking the wonderful and the bizarre, the beautiful and the dark.

Home to all things dark and lovely.

crowcrosskeys@gmail.com

EIC: @keychild.bsky.social (she/her)

https://linktr.ee/crowcrosskeys
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crowkeys.bsky.social
Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS CLOSED @crowkeys.bsky.social · 3d
All day, there has been a low keening throughout the tower. We're not sure where it's coming from, the tower is resistant to any sense of direction. You get used to it. For other concerning noises...

"Like Mother, Like Son" by Riel Rosehill

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/11/22/l...
A muted greyscale banner for flash fiction, Like Mother, Like Son by Riel Rosehill published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring a bittern in water with its mouth open wide.
crowkeys.bsky.social
All day, there has been a low keening throughout the tower. We're not sure where it's coming from, the tower is resistant to any sense of direction. You get used to it. For other concerning noises...

"Like Mother, Like Son" by Riel Rosehill

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/11/22/l...
A muted greyscale banner for flash fiction, Like Mother, Like Son by Riel Rosehill published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring a bittern in water with its mouth open wide.
November 22, 2025 at 6:11 PM
crowkeys.bsky.social
We're chilly in the tower this November evening. Nothing warms like words, and it's a fine night for poetry. Such a fine night that we have not one but two poems to keep you warm. By Faye Wikner, we present...

"Huldra"
&
"Sappho's Fourth Body"

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/11/19/t...
A muted greyscale banner for duo of poems by Faye Wikner, Huldra and Sappho's Fourth Body published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring a close-up of train tracks in the rain.
November 19, 2025 at 6:27 PM
crowkeys.bsky.social
Due to unforeseen circumstances, we're a day late, but we promise it's worth the wait. (Our seers are in the tower dungeon as we type. Their foretellings cannot be trusted.) This short story, however...

"Our Mother, the Dark Damp Earth" by @amadolaila.bsky.social

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/11/16/o...
A muted greyscale banner for short story, Our Mother, the Dark Damp Earth by Laila Amado published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring a field of plowed soil.
November 16, 2025 at 6:18 PM
crowkeys.bsky.social
We're thinking of carousels and candyfloss this evening. Oh, to be at a fair. Oh, to get tempted by the lights, the noise, the food, only to forget your name and living there forever. Bliss. For another fair...

"Evening at the County Fair" by Laura M Puhl

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/11/12/e...
A muted greyscale banner for flash fiction, Evening at the County Fair by Laura M Puhl published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring hands palms up holding berries.
November 12, 2025 at 6:09 PM
crowkeys.bsky.social
Sometimes the tower ends up standing beside the sea. Usually when the tower craves salt. One mustn't ignore the cravings of uncanny architecture. On the sea and salt and daughters, today's narrative poem...

"The Salt in My Bloodline" by Rowan Tate

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/11/08/t...
A muted greyscale banner for narrative poem, The Salt in My Bloodline by Rowan Tate published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring a flock of seagulls flying against a light background.
November 8, 2025 at 6:13 PM
crowkeys.bsky.social
Don't use the taps in the tower. Something is living in the plumbing and we can never quite predict what will pour out; this morning, it was pennies. This evening, it's today's short story—word by word.

"The Witch's Daughter" by Alexandra Wingo

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/11/05/t...
A muted greyscale banner for short story, The Witch's Daughter by Alexandra Wingo published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring a well in the countryside.
November 5, 2025 at 6:31 PM
crowkeys.bsky.social
There are messages all over the walls of the tower. We're not certain who put them there or what they mean or who they're for. It's better to pretend they don't exist. Why not read today's flash instead?

"Names Set in Stone" by @jenoliverwriter.bsky.social

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/11/01/n...
A muted greyscale banner for flash fiction, Names Set in Stone by Jennifer Oliver published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring a cropped image of letters carved into stone.
November 1, 2025 at 6:18 PM
crowkeys.bsky.social
Outside, we can hear the sounds of trees being felled. There isn't a tree for miles, but we hear it still. We are disconcerted. We're going to read today's poem and avoid thinking about it.

"After the before, we take care of the wounds" by SK Grout

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/10/29/a...
A muted greyscale banner for poem, After the before, we take care of the wounds by SK Grout published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring an axe embedded into a branch in soft focus.
October 29, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Reposted by Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS CLOSED
mimulus.bsky.social
My short story “The Last and First Loves of Hayrum Bellmaker” is now up at Crow & Cross Keys! 🖤
crowkeys.bsky.social Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS CLOSED @crowkeys.bsky.social · Oct 25
Something is chiming in the tower this evening. We've looked everywhere but we still can't find it. What we can find is today's short story...

"The Last and First Loves of Hayrum Bellmaker" by @mimulus.bsky.social

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/10/25/t...
A muted greyscale banner for short story, The Last and First Loves of Hayrum Bellmaker published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring a bell on a string in a shallow depth of field.
October 25, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Reposted by Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS CLOSED
ramccafferty.bsky.social
My haunted house/fairy tale hybrid in @crowkeys.bsky.social. crowcrosskeys.com/2025/07/19/a...
a spark suppressed—Rachel Abbey McCafferty
Once upon a time, a girl grew up believing she could marry into princessdom, the ticket price being love. But this was America, so she believed she could become rich and famous based on her natural…
crowcrosskeys.com
October 28, 2025 at 5:19 PM
crowkeys.bsky.social
Something is chiming in the tower this evening. We've looked everywhere but we still can't find it. What we can find is today's short story...

"The Last and First Loves of Hayrum Bellmaker" by @mimulus.bsky.social

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/10/25/t...
A muted greyscale banner for short story, The Last and First Loves of Hayrum Bellmaker published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring a bell on a string in a shallow depth of field.
October 25, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Reposted by Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS CLOSED
jsbrevik.bsky.social
My story, “Patchwork Boy,” is now available to read at Crow & Cross Keys. I am so happy that this piece found such a loving home. Thank you again to @keychild.bsky.social for being an editor extraordinaire! 🪡
crowkeys.bsky.social Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS CLOSED @crowkeys.bsky.social · Oct 22
You might not have noticed, but the tower isn't just made of stone. Look closely and you'll find a bit of everything cobbled together. Not unlike the subject of today's flash fiction...

"Patchwork Boy" by @jsbrevik.bsky.social

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/10/22/p...
A muted greyscale banner for flash fiction, Patchwork Boy by J.S. Brevik published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring layers of patchwork material in different patterns.
October 22, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Reposted by Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS CLOSED
samaureli.bsky.social
I’ve spent a lifetime not only working in cities, but designing and building their monuments to the sky. “The City Asks for More” is a poem about what we give to the city, and what it keeps. About exhaustion, beauty, and the small rebellions that still sing. First published in @crowkeys.bsky.social
October 24, 2025 at 1:43 PM
crowkeys.bsky.social
You might not have noticed, but the tower isn't just made of stone. Look closely and you'll find a bit of everything cobbled together. Not unlike the subject of today's flash fiction...

"Patchwork Boy" by @jsbrevik.bsky.social

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/10/22/p...
A muted greyscale banner for flash fiction, Patchwork Boy by J.S. Brevik published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring layers of patchwork material in different patterns.
October 22, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Reposted by Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS CLOSED
samaureli.bsky.social
“The City Asks for More” is a poem about what we give to the city, and what it keeps. About exhaustion, beauty, and the small rebellions that still sing. Grateful to the @crowkeys.bsky.social editorial team for publishing my poem, now available on my Substack.
The City Asks for More
After Charles Simic
open.substack.com
October 21, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Reposted by Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS CLOSED
samaureli.bsky.social
My poem, “Walking Past the End,” published in @crowkeys.bsky.social . A huge thank you to the editors.
crowkeys.bsky.social Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS CLOSED @crowkeys.bsky.social · Oct 18
Don't worry about the noises you hear behind you. It's safe here, we promise. As long as you don't look. Look instead at today's poem...

"Walking Past the End" by @samaureli.bsky.social

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/10/18/w...
A muted greyscale banner for poem, Walking Past the End by Sam Aureli published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring an ominous vulture shot from between trees.
October 18, 2025 at 11:12 PM
crowkeys.bsky.social
Don't worry about the noises you hear behind you. It's safe here, we promise. As long as you don't look. Look instead at today's poem...

"Walking Past the End" by @samaureli.bsky.social

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/10/18/w...
A muted greyscale banner for poem, Walking Past the End by Sam Aureli published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring an ominous vulture shot from between trees.
October 18, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Reposted by Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS CLOSED
wisdomofthesea.bsky.social
My short story “The Gravedigger’s Godling” is up on @crowkeys.bsky.social! It is about parenthood, choices, and demigods.

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/10/15/t...
October 15, 2025 at 5:45 PM
crowkeys.bsky.social
In the tower, we find many gifts from small gods. We're not sure how they find us, but they always do. Today's story also features gifts and gods. Read it, won't you?

"The Gravedigger's Godling" by @wisdomofthesea.bsky.social

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/10/15/t...
A muted greyscale banner for short story, The Gravedigger's Godling by Sophia Alapati published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring an old graveyard.
October 15, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Reposted by Crow & Cross Keys || SUBS CLOSED
fusionfragment.bsky.social
FFer Read of the Day: "Only Carrion" by @avadevries.bsky.social at @crowkeys.bsky.social

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/05/28/o...
Only Carrion—Ava DeVries
The vultures have been gathering around my house again. Only three or four, for now. But more will be here soon. They will perch on my picket fence and roost on my roof until it creaks with the wei…
crowcrosskeys.com
October 13, 2025 at 5:30 PM
crowkeys.bsky.social
We're going to let the title of this one speak for itself. We're obsessed.

"Let go, the anglerfish cries to her male protuberance, with whom she shares organs" by C.K. Liu

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/10/11/l...
A muted greyscale banner for flash fiction, "Let go, the anglerfish cries to her male protuberance, with whom she shares organs" by C.K. Liu published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring a gooseneck lamp.
October 11, 2025 at 5:17 PM
crowkeys.bsky.social
October is, predictably, one of our favourite months. Here at the tower, we watch the trees change from our windows. We read poetry as the leaves fall. Read it with us?

"(the skin of) October" by Robin Steve

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/10/08/t...
A muted greyscale banner for poem, (the skin of) October by Robin Steve published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring a row of skeletal trees against a setting sun.
October 8, 2025 at 5:08 PM
crowkeys.bsky.social
We seek solitude in places of nature: under ancient trees, inside windblown caves that were once made of sand, and beside still, silent lakes. There, we share stories. Like this one. Read it with us.

"Ophelia by the Fisherman's Shack" by Scout Wallace

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/10/04/o...
A muted greyscale banner for short story, Ophelia by the Fisherman's Shack by Scout Wallace published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring a cropped photograph of a woman laying in a body of water topped with cut flowers.
October 4, 2025 at 5:21 PM
crowkeys.bsky.social
There are many hungry things in the tower. We don't recommend feeding them, even if they tell you what they're hungry for. Today's flash is also a hungry thing.

"Don't Feed the Sink" by Hollie Dee

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/10/01/d...
A muted greyscale banner for flash fiction, Don't Feed the Sink by Hollie Dee published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring a photo of a sink with houseplants situated in front of a bright window.
October 1, 2025 at 5:12 PM
crowkeys.bsky.social
Things happen in threes. Good, bad, everything in between. Today's three is solidly in the good category. Join us as we read three very good poems by Devony Hof.

"Inkpot"
"gretel"
"commute"

crowcrosskeys.com/2025/09/27/t...
A muted greyscale banner for a trio of poems by Devony Hof, "Inkpot", "gretel" and "commute" published on crowcrosskeys.com, featuring an abstract image of blurred lights evoking the impression of a passing train.
September 27, 2025 at 5:20 PM