These magazines publish various forms and types of poetry. Some of them also publish other genres, like fiction and nonfiction. A few of these pay. They are in no particular order. Most, but not all, are open for submissions now. Also, please see the end of this list for some contests/fellowships for poets, with upcoming deadlines.
MAGAZINES
Poet Lore
This is a biannual print journal of poetry, and their tagline is ‘America’s Oldest Poetry Journal’. They publish both established and emerging poets. They’re reading submissions for the ‘Home and Hiraeth’ theme. Their guidelines say, “There isn’t an English translation for the Welsh word hiraeth. The best approximation is a longing tied to grief and sorrow. Often tethered to something irretrievable or inaccessible, hiraeth is likened to nostalgia or homesickness. But what even is home? Maya Angelou described it as “the safe place where you can go and not be questioned,” while James Baldwin believed it to be “perhaps … not a place but an irrevocable condition.” And what is it to not be able to return there, wherever, whoever, or whatever home may be?” Send up to 3 poems for this special feature; they pay $50 per poem, and the deadline is 31 December 2022. Their reading period for unthemed poetry translations is 1 January-30 June 2023. Details here (general guidelines) and here (Submittable and theme details).
The Cincinnati Review
They take submissions for the print magazine thrice yearly, of fiction, nonfiction, and poetry – in December, May, and September, and close at the end of the month, or when the submission cap is reached. See the editor preferences here. Submissions for their miCRo series are usually open on an ongoing basis, with some exceptions. This is their weekly online flash feature; fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and hybrid. Send up to 32 lines or poetry for miCRo, and up to 5 poems for the print magazine. Rates are $25 for miCRo, and $25/page for prose and $30/page for poetry for the print magazine. Details here and here.
Bodega
This magazine publishes digital issues on the first Monday of every month (except January), featuring fiction, nonfiction, poetry (send up to 3 poems), and occasional interviews by established and emerging writers. Their website says, “We’re here to give you a handful of essential pieces you can digest in one sitting.” Details here.
failed haiku – a journal of English Senryu
They publish senryu, haibun, haiga, rengay, sequences, and any other related form that is senryu based. Currently, they are reading submissions on the ‘new beginnings’ theme (up to 5 poems); they want senryu and haiga, but they do not want sequences and rengay for the themed call. Their reading period is 10th to 25th every month. Details here.
Mud Season Review
They publish poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. “We seek deeply human work that will teach us something about life, but also about the craft of writing or visual art, and work that is original in its approach and that in some way moves us.” For poetry, “We respond to a wide range of poetry, and to voice above all else. We are looking for poems that compelled their own writing, emotions that purify and intensify language, and unique points of view. We are also looking for portfolios that communicate a common thread and are made up of poems that work well together. Each poem should be able to stand on its own, but the poems in a portfolio should have a collective impact as well.” Send 3-5 poems. Pay is $50 for work that appears in their issues, and $15 for work that appears in The Take. The deadline is 31 December 2022, or until filled. Details here and here.
Augur Magazine
This is a Canadian magazine of Speculative fiction and poetry. Send up to 5 poems. Pay is CAD60/poem and CAD0.11/word for prose. They are reading general submissions till 7 January 2023, and submissions from Canadian underrepresented writers only from 8th to 15th January 2023. Details here and here.
diet milk magazine
They publish Gothic fiction and poetry – send up to 3 poems. They pay $15/poem and $0.01/word for fiction. The deadline is 8 January 2023. Details here and here.
Poetry London
This acclaimed journal publishes poetry (send up to 6 poems). They also publish reviews and interviews (query first). Pay is £30/poem, though appropriate adjustments may be made for very long poems; review and interview fees are agreed upon in advance, and benchmarked at £50/1,000 words. Details here and here.
Southword
This well-regarded magazine is currently open for poetry (send up to 4 poems), and will open for prose submissions in January. They pay £40 per poem and £250 for short stories. The deadline for poetry submissions is 28 February 2023. They’re also offering a poetry workshop series for Irish poets who have not studied Creative Writing at third level, and the deadline to apply for that is 31 December 2022. Details here and here.
Chinchilla Lit
This is a youth-run literary magazine and they publish plays, scripts, and all forms of prose and poetry, including hybrid forms, from writers ages 11-25 years. They published their first issue in November 2022. They read submissions during the months of December, March, June, and September. Details here.
Ice Lolly Review
They take submissions from writers ages 12-26. They publish poetry (up to 300 lines), fiction, creative nonfiction, other genres, multilingual submissions (accompanied by English translation), and blog submissions. The deadline is 31 December 2022. Details here.
Arc Poetry Magazine
They publish poetry in English, or translations of poetry into English, on any subject and in any form, including spoken word pieces. They also publish prose – reviews, interviews, and articles on poetry and poetry-related subjects (query first) – but this is only from Canadian writers or on topics related to Canadian poetry. For their special call, ‘Crip Lives: Restoring Subjectivity’ they invite “artists who live with disability/chronic illness/mental illness and other forms of existence that are impacted by ableism” to send them poems “exploring what it means to be in the world, or your topic of choice. We hope that your art challenges the able-bodied gaze and doctrine by changing the narrative of the dominant body and extending the meaning of wholeness.” For prose on the theme, please pitch them. Also, please note, that except for this special call, they ask US-based writers to pay a submission fee for poetry. They pay CAD50/page for poetry or prose published in the magazine. Their general (unthemed) submission deadline is 31 December 2022; for the Crip Lives issue, the deadline is 15 May 2023. Details here (general guidelines) and here (Submittable and theme details).
Alba
They publish short poetry, 12 lines or fewer (though they may make occasional exceptions). They prefer free verse as opposed to established forms such as haiku and tanka. The deadline is 31 December 2022. Details here.
Ninth Letter
This magazine is published semi-annually in print at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; they also have an online version. “We are interested in prose and poetry that experiment with form, narrative, and nontraditional subject matter, as well as more traditional literary work.” They accept poetry (3-6 poems), fiction, and creative nonfiction. Submissions via Submittable are fee-free in November and December; some categories may close early if volume demands. They charge for online submissions during other months of their reading period, which ends on 28 February 2022, but not for postal submissions. Pay is $25/page up to $150, for print. Details here and here.
Last Stanza Poetry Journal
They want poetry on ‘The Outsider’ theme. “As with every issue, poems submitted do not need to follow the prompt/theme. A single $100 award will be given for an outstanding poem.” On the theme, “Featuring the works of unknown outsider artists, this issue asks for poems of feeling outside of society, or standing on the inside looking out. Being left out or forgotten altogether.” Poems can be any style; they prefer non-rhyming. Send up to 5 poems. The deadline is 31 December 2022. Details here.
Bennington Review
Apart from poetry (send 3-5 poems), this literary magazine publishes fiction, creative nonfiction, film (and TV) writing, cross-genre work, and translations; “we are particularly taken with writing that is simultaneously graceful and reckless.” Pay is $25/poem, and $120-250 for prose. The deadline is 9 January 2023. Details here.
Neologism Poetry Journal
They want poems that “Feel good leaving the mouth; Use original or interesting language skillfully; and Use visual spacing, narrative pacing, consistent meter, or any combination of these to make the reading capture the reader.
Formal poetry is welcome, as is writing with tinges of the dreamlike or unreal.” Submit up to 5 poems. Regarding their schedule, “Submissions are considered for the month in which they are received up until two days before the end of the month.” Details here.
One Art
They have preference for concise free verse, but they will consider formal poems that read in the manner of free verse. Send up to 5 poems. They read submissions on an ongoing basis. Details here.
The Threepenny Review
This respected literary magazine will be open for submissions during January to April 2023. They accept poetry (up to 5 poems), fiction, nonfiction, and Table Talk pieces. They accept submissions through their online submission system and also by mail. Pay is $200 per poem or Table Talk piece; $400 for fiction and nonfiction. Details here.
Annulet
They read poetry (up to 5 poems), prose, annulets (“a short-form close reading of one poem or one prose passage that is scholarly in approach and convivial in delivery”), comparatives (“consider more than one literary thing in relation with the other, clearly framed and defined”), reviews, paeans (“essays that can blend memoir, reading experiences, experiences of place or circumstance, or other reflections that discuss what it’s like to be writing or reading in the world”), garlands (“literary-critical essays … whose focus is on one writer of poetry or prose who does not have a book or chapbook … published or under contract”), comments (“discussion of a timely topic in poetry and poetics, or in the literary world”), and other literary essays. Details here.
Chantarelle’s Notebook
They accept poems (send 3 to 5 poems), as well as video poems and flash fiction. Details here.
Star*Line
This is the official print journal of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Association, established in 1978. It is a literary venue for speculative (including science-fiction, fantasy, and horror) poets and poetry enthusiasts, and also accepts short articles on topics related to science-fiction, fantasy, and horror speculative poetry. Send up to 5 poems. Pay is $0.03/word for poetry and $0.01/word for articles. They also accept reviews, and art. They accept submissions on an ongoing basis. Details here.
Lothlorien Poetry Journal
Their website says, “Lothlorien Poetry Journal is a literary journal featuring free verse/rhyming/experimental poetry, short stories, flash fiction, video poems and occasional interviews with poets. … Discover poems of enchantment, fantasy, fairy tale, folklore, dreams, dystopian, flora and fauna, magical realism, romance, and anything hiding deep in-between the cracks.” They accept poetry (up to 5), video poetry, and fiction. Details here.
CommuterLit
They want poetry (one poem or a series of poems), memoir, and fiction, in any genre, with a word count of 500 to 4,000. It is for people to read work on the go, and is published five days a week. Details here.
Epoch Magazine
This magazine is associated with Cornell University. They accept poetry (send up to 5 poems), as well as fiction, essays, poetry, and comics. Online submissions are charged, and accepted only during the months of January and August; however, they do have one fee-free submission weekend during each of these months. There is no fee for mailed submissions; for these, the submission period is September to February. Pay depends on funding, and currently is $100-500. Details here and here.
Red Rock Review
This magazine publishes poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. “We seek strong voices with unique views, ambitious narratives, and thoughtfully crafted work that uses language in new and interesting ways.” The journal is housed by The College of Southern Nevada. They will reopen for submissions on 15 January 2023. Details here.
Fieldnotes
They are reading submissions for their fifth issue. “We are seeking non-conforming submissions: ideas in transition, poetry in translation, collaborations and conversations, works between genres, between fiction and theory, between text and image, new poetic modes and things-in-progress.” Mixed submissions of text and image are welcome. Length guidelines are to 4,000 words, or 10 pages; up to 10 pages for images. Pay is £100-200. The deadline is 22 December 2022. Details here.
The Journal of Undiscovered Poets
This is a poetry journal. Their guidelines say, “While undiscovered does not necessarily mean unpublished, and previously published poems will be considered, the journal is interested in poems by writers striving to enter the world of published poets. All ages, levels of education and life experience are welcome.” Send up to 5 poems in any length or style. Details here.
Block Party: Magazine and chapbook series
They accept submissions of fiction and nonfiction, poetry (up to 100 lines), reviews, and art for their literary magazine. The theme for their fourth issue is ‘Sucker’, and the deadline for magazine submissions is 1 January 2023. They’re also reading fiction, nonfiction, and poetry submissions for their inaugural, unthemed chapbook series. Send work of 15-24 pages. The deadline is 3 March 2023. Payment for chapbooks is in royalties and copies. Details here.
Acumen
This is an award-winning poetry journal. They publish new poetry and poetry translations, alongside articles, debate, comment and reviews of recent poetry publications. Send up to 6 poems, or an essay. Details here.
CONTESTS
Apart from the magazines, there are also some upcoming contests/grants/fellowships for poets, which do not charge an entry fee. Some of the opportunities are for a limited demographic.
Poetry Society of America: The Four Quartets Prize
This is for a unified and complete sequence of poems published in America in a print or online journal, chapbook, or book in 2022. Poems in the sequence may have been published in different journals provided that they were published in 2022 and that brought together, they form a complete sequence. The minimum requirement is 14 pages of published poems unified by subject, form, and style. Entire books composed of a unified sequence, however long, are also welcome. Submissions will have to be mailed. Self-published work is not eligible. The prize is $1,000 for three finalists, an additional $20,000 for the winner. The deadline is 31 December 2022. Details here.
Blue Mountain Arts: Poetry Card Contest
This biannual contest is for poetry for the greeting card company. Poems can be rhyming or non-rhyming, though they find non-rhyming poetry reads better. Poets can enter the contest as often as they like. The prizes are $350, $200, and $100. The deadline is 31 December 2022. Details here. (Also see their general greeting card guidelines, which includes seasonal poetry submission deadlines.)
The Lyric Magazine: College Poetry Contest
This is a contest open to undergraduates enrolled full time in an American or Canadian college or university. Poems must be original and unpublished, 39 lines or less, written in English in traditional forms, preferably with regular scansion and rhyme. Students can send up to three poems. The prizes are $500, $150, and $100, the deadline is 31 December 2022. Details here.
Table//Feast Literary Magazine: Blossom Contest
This contest is only for those who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC). Entrants may submit up to three poems (2 pages each) in the Poetry Category or one piece of fiction or creative nonfiction (up to 3,000 words) to the Prose Category. There’s one prize of $200 for poetry, and one prize of $200 for prose. The deadline is 1 January 2023. Details here.
Defenestrationism.net Lengthy Poem Contest
They are reading entries for a lengthy poem, of at least three 120 lines, or roughly chapbook-length (see guidelines). Poem cycles are accepted. They do not want prose poems. It is best to divide it into parts or sections, though this is not a strict requirement. The prize is $300, and the deadline is 1 January 2022. Details here.
PEN America: US Writers Aid Initiative
This is intended to assist US-based fiction and non-fiction authors, poets, playwrights, screenwriters, translators, and journalists. To be eligible, applicants must be based in the United States, be professional writers, and be able to demonstrate that this one-time grant will be meaningful in helping them to address a short-term emergency situation; there are other eligibility requirements, too. This grant is not for subsidizing writing-related expenses. Writers do not have to be PEN members to apply. Various deadlines are listed (subject to change): in January, April, July, and October 2023. The
deadline is 1 January 2023. Details here.
Colgate University: Olive B. O’Connor Creative Writing Fellowship
For the current application period, they offer one fellowship for poetry, and one for non-fiction. One of the application requirements is a writing sample – up to 20 pages for poetry, and up to 30 pages for prose. Writers who have recently completed an MFA, MA, or PhD in creative writing, and who need a year to complete their first book, are encouraged to apply. It also includes residency at Colgate University. There are teaching duties attached. “All applications should speak directly to the candidate’s ability to work effectively with students across a wide range of identities and backgrounds.” The fellowship pays $43,750, and there are other benefits. The deadline is 6 January 2023. Details here.
National Endowment for the Arts: Translation Project Fellowship
These are for published translators who are citizens or permanent residents of the US. The fellowship is for the translation of works of prose, poetry, or drama from other languages into English. They encourage translations of writers and of work that are not well represented in English translation. The proposed projects must be for creative translations of literary material into English. The fellowships are for up to $25,000 (see here), and the deadline is 12 January 2023. Details here and here. (They also have Creative Writing Fellowships for prose, deadline 8 March 2023, details here.)
Fourteen Hills: Stacey Doris Memorial Poetry Award
This is a poetry contest – send one poem of 3 to 10 pages. Their guidelines say, “Stacy Doris was a poet, translator, and an Associate Professor in San Francisco State University’s Department of Creative Writing, where she taught for ten years. … Doris created new worlds with her unexpected poetics. Following upon her spirit of creative invention, engaging wit and ingenious playfulness, discovery in construction, and radical appropriations based on classical forms, pastiche, etc., and love, the Stacy Doris Memorial Poetry Award is given to a poet with a truly inventive spirit.” Works that don’t win will be considered for publication in Fourteen Hills. The prize is $500, and the deadline is 15 January 2023. Details here.
Milkweed Editions: Ballard Spahr Prize for Poetry
This is for a poetry manuscript, of 48 or more pages, for poets in the US upper Midwest region (Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, or Michigan). The submitted manuscript must be previously unpublished, though individual poems included may have been previously published in periodicals, chapbooks or anthologies. This is not a first book contest; poets may be at any stage in their career. The prize is $10,000, a royalty contract, and publication. The deadline is 15 January 2023. Details here.
RBC Bronwen Wallace Award for Emerging Writers
This is for Canadian writers who have published work in literary magazines, but not in book form. For this cycle, writers should submit up to 10 pages (up to 2,500 words, for fiction) of either unpublished short fiction or unpublished poetry. There is no age bar; and a self-published book or chapbook will not disqualify you. The award is CAD10,000, and CAD2,500 for finalists. The deadline is 16 January 2022. Details here (overview), here (fiction guidelines), and here (poetry guidelines).
Zócalo Public Square Poetry Prize
They want poetry from US poets whose poem best evokes a connection to place. “The prize interprets “place” in many ways: A place may possess historical, cultural, political, or personal importance, and may be literal, imaginary, or metaphorical.” Please read the conditions at the bottom of the page carefully. The prize is $1,000, and the deadline is 23 January 2023. Details here.
Deep Wild Graduate Student Poetry Contest
This is an international contest from Deep Wild: Writing from the Backcountry magazine – they want students currently enrolled in graduate studies to submit work for their 2023 Graduate Student Poetry Contest. “We seek work that conjures the experiences, observations, and insights of backcountry journeys. By “backcountry,” we mean away from roads, on journeys undertaken by foot, skis, snowshoes, kayak, canoe, horse, or any other non-motorized means of conveyance.” Writers can send up to 3 poems (see guidelines). The prizes are $300, $200, and $100, and the deadline is 1 February 2023. Details here and here.
Bucknell University: Philip Roth Residence in Creative Writing
This residency, for US-based writers, is offered by Bucknell University, and provides writing time of up to four months. It’s for writers of any literary genre: fiction, creative nonfiction, or poetry. Writers should be working on a first or second book of fiction or creative nonfiction. There are two residencies, in fall and spring semesters. Some record of publication is desirable. The award is $5,000, and the deadline is 1 February 2023. Details here.
(See the full list of their programs and residencies here.)
Bio: S. Kalekar is the pseudonym of a regular contributor to this magazine. She can be reached here.
