The fables in Kahlil Gibran’s The Prophet, presented as prose poems, give voice to universal truths both big and small when the mythical city of Orphalese and her residents ask of the titular prophet, Almustafa, to address topics ranging from joy to drinking. The personal folklore of Patti Smith, as detailed in her memoir Just Kids, positions the relationship between artist and art as a creation myth, with the act of creation as a necessary condition for living. Both books serve their readers as mighty meditations on the mundane.

The Oracle’s Almanac is a call to find the holy in everything, and every month we’ll tell you where to look. Sabr Tooth Tiger invites you to moralize your musings, to prophesize your reveries, to present us with new ways of believing what we already know—like Almustafa—and to turn trinkets into talismans—like Patti Smith. The Oracle’s Almanac is an archive of mantras, prayers, and psalms in perpetuity to celebrate everything from the toothpicks in your creaky kitchen drawer to the celestial. Leave no stones unturned—they might be sapphires, or there might be funny-looking isopods living under them. You’ll never know what’s in front of you until you look at it!

The Oracle’s Almanac will entertain poetry, prose poetry, flash fiction, and all things micro: submit one piece, strictly 333 words and under. Up to three will be chosen to be published per prompt. We also encourage artists to submit artwork interpreting the prompt for a chance to be featured. Please include a bio under 100 words in the cover letter of your submission, but do not include any identifying information in the file name or document itself.

To have your work considered for the month, submit no later than the 15th, 11:59 PM CST. New prompt monthly.