Richard Downing avatar

    Richard Downing

    he/him | Writer, short fiction, poetry | South Carolina, United States

    Richard Downing has won the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation’s Barbara Mandigo Kelly Peace Poetry Contest, the New Delta Review’s Matt Clark Prize, New Woman Magazine’s Grand Prize for Fiction, Solstice’s Editors’ Award and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. His work appears in fifty+ journals, including Arts & Letters, Malahat Review, Juked, Prime Number, Potomac Review, and Two Thirds North. He holds a PhD in English and is a voting rights activist.

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    Selected work
    • Fiction

      9

    • Poetry

      13

    Cover of Solstice: A Magazine of Diverse Voices

    You’re a comedian? Me too

    Solstice: A Magazine of Diverse Voices, 2025

    Fiction
    Short Story
    Literary
    Cover of Welter Journal

    The Popularity of Bombs

    Welter Journal, 2025

    Fiction
    Flash
    Literary
    Cover of Two Thirds North

    Stained-Glass Jesus

    Two Thirds North, 2023

    Fiction
    Short Story
    Literary
    Cover of Unlikely Stories

    Governor

    Unlikely Stories, 2023

    Fiction
    Short Story
    Literary
    Cover of The Malahat Review

    The Church of the Blood of the Whitest Lamb

    The Malahat Review, 2022

    Fiction
    Short Story
    Literary
    Cover of Unlikely Stories

    Expiration Dates

    Unlikely Stories, 2022

    Fiction
    Short Story
    Literary
    Cover of Arts & Letters: A Journal of Contemporary Culture

    John Cage Plays the Bull's Head

    Arts & Letters: A Journal of Contemporary Culture, 2017

    Fiction
    Short Story
    Absurdist
    Cover of Solstice: A Magazine of Diverse Voices

    Full-Service Fat Girl

    Solstice: A Magazine of Diverse Voices, 2015

    Fiction
    Short Story
    Literary
    Cover of Composite Arts Magazine

    Touching Marilyn, Touching God

    Composite Arts Magazine, 2012

    Fiction
    Flash
    Absurdist
    Cover of Gemini Magazine

    3-Way

    Gemini Magazine, 2020

    Poetry
    Literary
    Cover of Mojave River Review

    "Prequel," "Backseat Myths," "Illegal Sol," & "La Inmigrante"

    Mojave River Review, 2019

    Poetry
    Literary
    Cover of Lime Hawk Arts Collective

    Polar Dreams: 5 poems

    Lime Hawk Arts Collective, 2014

    Poetry
    Literary
    Cover of YellowJacket Press

    Four Steps Off the Path: a chapbook

    YellowJacket Press

    Poetry
    Literary
    Cover of Puff Puff: Poetry, Prose, & a Play

    13 "My God" poems

    Puff Puff: Poetry, Prose, & a Play, 2013

    Poetry
    Literary
    Cover of 200 New Mexico Poems

    History Dream #24: Po-Woh-Ge-Oweenge

    200 New Mexico Poems, 2012

    Poetry
    Absurdist
    Cover of Prime Number Magazine

    "Wounded Knee" & "Anne, Anne, Anne & Norton"

    Prime Number Magazine, 2012

    Poetry
    Absurdist
    Cover of OccuPoetry

    Howl Again

    OccuPoetry, 2011

    Poetry
    Literary
    Cover of Spector Magazine

    Pole Dancing

    Spector Magazine, 2011

    Poetry
    Literary
    Cover of Nuclear Age Peace Foundation

    Rachel Corrie's Peace

    Nuclear Age Peace Foundation, 2006

    Poetry
    Literary
    Cover of Tattoo Highway

    F Is the Hardest

    Tattoo Highway

    Poetry
    Literary
    Cover of The Dire Elegies

    Craning

    The Dire Elegies

    Poetry
    Literary
    Cover of Crosscut Literary Magazine

    "Exotic Plants" and "Reflexology"

    Crosscut Literary Magazine, 2006

    Poetry
    Literary