Pine Hills Review

“One Bullet Left” by Corwin Ericson When he finally hung up his double-barrel and bunnystalker cap, he was dismissive of his lack of family and the mystery of his place in society.

“One Bullet Left” by Corwin Ericson

"When he finally hung up his double-barrel and bunnystalker cap, he was dismissive of his lack of family and the mystery of his place in society."

“I Am Trying to Love the Whole World” by Shuly Xóchitl Cawood But it’s hard to love what I am when I know it’s wrong. / I don’t easily forgive my mistakes in their swishing dresses / and careless mascara, with their impetuously long cigarettes.

“I Am Trying to Love the Whole World” by Shuly Xóchitl Cawood

"But it’s hard to love what I am when I know it’s wrong. / I don’t easily forgive my mistakes in their swishing dresses / and careless mascara, with their impetuously long cigarettes. "

“What Isn’t Love” by Jennifer Juneau Because / What isn’t love is nobody’s red sock / And somebody’s black boot.

“What Isn't Love” by Jennifer Juneau

"Because / What isn’t love is nobody’s red sock / And somebody’s black boot."

“Amateur Filmmaking in the 21st Century” by David Dodd Lee You think it’s hot outside it’s hot in a house / when you’ve got nowhere else you can go, a glass of milk glowing like / radiation on a table

“Amateur Filmmaking in the 21st Century” by David Dodd Lee

"You think it’s hot outside it’s hot in a house / when you’ve got nowhere else you can go, a glass of milk glowing like / radiation on a table"

“Filthy goddess in search of vulgar god” by Michelle Stoll Priestess of Pan seeks creature to unwind with, / drink wine with, must be kind without being too nice.

"Filthy goddess in search of vulgar god” by Michelle Stoll

"Priestess of Pan seeks creature to unwind with, / drink wine with, must be kind without being too nice."

“Is anyone good?” by Davin Malasarn Samantha, I am not good, / though my skin is soft and supple.

“Is anyone good?” by Davin Malasarn

"Samantha, I am not good, / though my skin is soft and supple."

“The Loneliness of the Sharpshooter” by Bryan Furuness "At some point, it didn't even feel like I was shooting anymore; I was diving through the hoop every time I threw up my arms—like a dolphin, like water, like a fall of light."

"The Loneliness of the Sharpshooter" by Bryan Furuness

"At some point, it didn't even feel like I was shooting anymore; I was diving through the hoop every time I threw up my arms—like a dolphin, like water, like a fall of light."

“Love Poem to Saving Your Own Life” by Meggie Royer Sometimes, what hurt the most / was your childhood phone number lost to memory, / its digits swimming down darkly through the depths.

“Love Poem to Saving Your Own Life” by Meggie Royer

"Sometimes, what hurt the most / was your childhood phone number lost to memory, / its digits swimming down darkly through the depths."

“You Are as Necessary as Times New Roman” by Alicia Hoffman Necessary as the scissors and the knife that sit abandoned in the sarcophagus of a suburban garage until the day a bolt comes loose, a screw unhinges, a flap malfunctions.

“You Are as Necessary as Times New Roman” by Alicia Hoffman

"Necessary as the scissors and the knife that sit abandoned in the sarcophagus of a suburban garage until the day a bolt comes loose, a screw unhinges, a flap malfunctions."

“Silly Goose” by Jennifer Maritza McCauley She is sitting, waiting for her partner to return / bringing Missouri flora in his mouth; coneflower, / daisies, aster.

“Silly Goose” by Jennifer Maritza McCauley

She is sitting, waiting for her partner to return / bringing Missouri flora in his mouth; coneflower, / daisies, aster.

From the Editors: Building Space for Contradictions & Juxtapositions But, perhaps, I was subconsciously looking to celebrate, criticize and memorialize what I saw as a space for contradictions.

From the Editors: Building Space for Contradictions & Juxtapositions

But, perhaps, I was subconsciously looking to celebrate, criticize and memorialize what I saw as a space for contradictions.

“The Fall of Chesterfield Mall” by Adam Jon Miller Chesterfield Mall opened its doors in 1976, and at its zenith, was considered the largest shopping mall in the St. Louis metropolitan area. In 2024 and 2025, the mall was closed and then demolished…

“The Fall of Chesterfield Mall” by Adam Jon Miller

“Dead Mall, Christmas Eve, 2022” by Robert Fillman bodies bound to endless loops / past shuttered shops and naked / window displays.

“Dead Mall, Christmas Eve, 2022” by Robert Fillman

bodies bound to endless loops / past shuttered shops and naked / window displays.

“mall stops” by Jeffrey H. MacLachlan synthetic sea breeze oh the aquamarine coins mating winks track lighting chlorine siren imagined pocketing prison city wishes of caribbean sand

“mall stops” by Jeffrey H. MacLachlan

synthetic sea breeze oh the aquamarine coins mating winks track lighting chlorine siren imagined pocketing prison city wishes of caribbean sand

“42°29’43.4″N 73°12’22.7″W” by Cleo Levin The morning of my grand opening, the sun rose early and poured in through my skylights, through the doors, through the three glass pyramids that hung over my atriums. It shone on my polished tile f…

"42°29'43.4"N 73°12'22.7"W" by Cleo Levin

"The morning of my grand opening, the sun rose early and poured in through my skylights, through the doors, through the three glass pyramids that hung over my atriums. It shone on my polished tile floors and danced through the halls."

“Mill Creek Drive” by J.T. Trigonis Soon, we'd // be at the mall, that holiest of pre-adolescent holies, / shops assailing our senses, every minute feeling / Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

“Mill Creek Drive” by J.T. Trigonis

Soon, we'd // be at the mall, that holiest of pre-adolescent holies, / shops assailing our senses, every minute feeling / Fast Times at Ridgemont High.

Special Feature: The Mall 🏬 The Mall is the Pine Hills Review special feature of 2025.

Special Feature: The Mall

🏬 The Mall is the Pine Hills Review special feature of 2025.

“The Five-Year Anniversary of the Tornado That Took Down Turtle Creek” by Sarah Watkins It was the first time that this city had been featured on national news, but no one wanted to speak. The damage spoke for itself. It was as if the building were run through a mandoline slicer—caved-in ceilings, exposed pipe, and criss-crossing metal frames that held up nothing.

“The Five-Year Anniversary of the Tornado That Took Down Turtle Creek” by Sarah Watkins

It was the first time that this city had been featured on national news, but no one wanted to speak. The damage spoke for itself. It was as if the building were run through a mandoline slicer—caved-in ceilings,…

“A gigantic cathedral of consumption”: An Interview with Kate Black "I describe the mall as an ‘altar of becoming’—a place of total possibility. I felt, and honestly still feel, exhilarated by how buying something new has the potential to transform myself. (Whether this potential ever actually realizes itself is another question.)"

“A gigantic cathedral of consumption”: An Interview with Kate Black

"I describe the mall as an ‘altar of becoming’—a place of total possibility. I felt, and honestly still feel, exhilarated by how buying something new has the potential to transform myself. (Whether this potential ever actually…

“Mating Ritual” by Steph Auteri Sometimes, if the stars aligned, we’d see them again. By the Sunglasses Hut kiosk. On line at Wetzel's Pretzels or Cinnabon. Sitting at the fountain, flicking pennies into the water.

“Mating Ritual” by Steph Auteri

Sometimes, if the stars aligned, we’d see them again. By the Sunglasses Hut kiosk. On line at Wetzel's Pretzels or Cinnabon. Sitting at the fountain, flicking pennies into the water.

“155,000M2 of Shopping, Entertainment and Leisure” by Samuel Prince All that swank and show, the imitation / of riches, gone, not even the fountain can spare a few cents / in its dried-up basin, its limescaled font – all wishes spent.

“155,000M2 of Shopping, Entertainment and Leisure” by Samuel Prince

All that swank and show, the imitation / of riches, gone, not even the fountain can spare a few cents / in its dried-up basin, its limescaled font – all wishes spent.

“Extended Call” by Larissa Hikel Where is the fashion parade, the conveyor belt of available products and prospects, that makes life seem so full of possibilities?

“Extended Call” by Larissa Hikel

Where is the fashion parade, the conveyor belt of available products and prospects, that makes life seem so full of possibilities?

“Mallrat Baptism” by Veronica Tucker It had a soundtrack, piped-in pop songs echoing off linoleum, and it had structure. Escalators, maps, food court trays. There were rules we didn’t always follow, but that gave the place a strange kind of order.

“Mallrat Baptism” by Veronica Tucker

It had a soundtrack, piped-in pop songs echoing off linoleum, and it had structure. Escalators, maps, food court trays. There were rules we didn’t always follow, but that gave the place a strange kind of order.

an escalator in a mall with a sign that says ' b ' on it ALT: an escalator in a mall with a sign that says ' b ' on it

The Mall (special feature) will open tomorrow at 10 AM EST!

We invite you to experience all the wonderful work that was shared with us. There will be burst of posts coming from each of our social media feeds at that time.

ALSO: Our regular reading period also begins tomorrow. Send us your stuff!

“No More Bears” by Timothy Gager “Dumb, reckless, and stupid,” Mama Bear’s false words repeated in her head once more.

“No More Bears” by Timothy Gager

“Dumb, reckless, and stupid,” Mama Bear’s false words repeated in her head once more.

“The Thin Line” by Todd Campbell Then a sudden beeping, insistent but not loud. / Is it me? plead your now wide-open eyes. Is it me,

“The Thin Line” by Todd Campbell

Then a sudden beeping, insistent but not loud. / Is it me? plead your now wide-open eyes. Is it me,

“A Late Afternoon Lying on My Back” by John K. Kruschke The forced air hissing through the vent / is not the sea breeze kiss caressing skin.

“A Late Afternoon Lying on My Back” by John K. Kruschke

The forced air hissing through the vent / is not the sea breeze kiss caressing skin.

“On College” by Merridawn Duckler Walk across the new fields unsteady as a colt or baby giraffe taking unique steps. You’re a triumph of engineering.

“On College” by Merridawn Duckler

Walk across the new fields unsteady as a colt or baby giraffe taking unique steps. You’re a triumph of engineering.

“Bloodless” by Kevin Fisher In an opera, I’d have an aria. But on the screen, stage or page it’s all yelling, ugly crying and an archeology of grievance. What if I don’t feel that? I know I can’t go back to sleep.

“Bloodless” by Kevin Fisher

In an opera, I’d have an aria. But on the screen, stage or page it’s all yelling, ugly crying and an archeology of grievance. What if I don’t feel that? I know I can’t go back to sleep.

“The Local News” by Kevin Pilkington I turned it off and stared into / my cup of coffee the way I like / it black as midnight without / sugar, moon or stars.

“The Local News” by Kevin Pilkington

I turned it off and stared into / my cup of coffee the way I like / it black as midnight without / sugar, moon or stars.