These magazines, journals, and websites accept poetry submissions, and they are open in October 2019. Some are reading submissions for specific themes. None of them charge a submission fee, or they have fee-free options. Most of these journals accept work in other genres also, like fiction and nonfiction, and many of these pay writers – payment details are added here, where relevant.

Here they are, in no particular order.

Slice
This magazine wants poetry, short fiction, and essays on the theme of ‘Persistence’ – work that plays off the theme, particularly in unexpected ways. They are particularly enthusiastic about championing emerging voices. Writers can send up to five poems and simultaneous submissions are ok. Pay is $100 for poetry, $400 for essays and stories, and $150 for flash fiction. The deadline is 1 December 2019 for this theme. Details here.

Cellpoems
This is a poetry journal distributed via text message. Poems should be 140 characters or fewer (including title and author’s first initial + last name). Writers can send up to 10 poems. Details here and here.

WordWorks
This quarterly magazine for the Federation of BC Writers accepts work by members and non-members (a portion of the payment will go towards membership, for non-members). It is for those interested in literature. Unless otherwise specified, poems should be up to 60 lines (including title); they accept up to three poems in a single submission. They also accept articles and pitches, as well as creative prose. For the Winter issue, the theme is ‘Writing and Activism’. Pay is $50 per poem or creative prose piece, $0.25/word for articles, $50 for reprints, $100 for cover art, and $25 for interior art (Canadian dollars). The deadline for this theme is 21 October 2019. Details here.

Petrichor
This is a journal of text and image. According to their guidelines, they publish “reverse villanelles, collage clips, double/triple haibun, asemic cryptolectics, semiotic pictographs, or just something new. Old school remixes for the digital age will not go unspun. GIFpoetics & code tomes welcome, too. We welcome underrepresented voices and unheard approaches to poetics and the melding of text & image.” They accept up to three poems; for visual poetry, send up to five separate PNG files, or a single PDF. They are reading for their Winter 2020 issue through October. Details here.

Epoch Magazine
­­­­­This literary magazine is edited by faculty at Cornell University. Submit no more than five poems in one envelope. They consider poetry in all forms, including the long poem. They also publish fiction, essays, cartoons, screenplays, graphic art, and graphic fiction. The deadline is for unsolicited submissions; they read work from literary agencies year-round. Submissions have to be sent by post. They pay $50 per poem, $150 for stories, and more for long stories and novellas. The deadline is 15 April 2020. Details here.

Cordite Poetry Review
This is an Australian magazine and they are reading poems for issue #94, on the ‘Earth’ theme. Send up to three poems. The deadline is 10 November 2019. Details here.

Split Rock Review
Split Rock Review and Flexible Press are reading poetry submissions for ‘Rewilding: Poems for the Environment’ (2020), an anthology that explores the current state of the natural environment – send three to six poems. They want to bring together a diverse spectrum of current poets writing about the environment in varied, thematic, and innovative ways. Poets whose work is accepted will get a copy of the anthology. They can accept 250 submissions per month during the submission period. The deadline is 31 December 2019. Details here.

Antioch Review
This is one of the oldest continuously publishing literary magazine in America, founded in 1941. They publish poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. They do not want light or inspirational verse. Writers can submit three to six poems, and submissions have to be sent by post. Pay is $20/page. The deadline is 30 April 2020 for poetry, and 31 May for prose. Details here.

Songs of Eretz Poetry Review
They publish poetry of any genre and length, including traditional, form, prose, and narrative poems. The theme they are reading for is ‘Christmas/Chanukah/Yule’ – send up to three poems. They also publish artwork (see guidelines). Pay is $5 per poem. The deadline is 31 October 2019. Details here.

Australian Book Review
Apart from reviews, this journal also publishes poetry. They do not publish either long, or very short poems. Generally they look for poems of 15 to 40 lines – send up to four poems. They pay AUD400 per poem. Details here.

The Disappointed Housewife
This journal accepts poetry, as well as fiction and essays – along with unclassifiable writings, photos, and drawings – “that stretch genre definitions, break the rules, challenge readers, and bend their brains, all while maintaining the highest levels of style and substance.” They want poems “that find the metaphors we’ve been looking for but never quite landed on.” Also, “There’s so much that can be done in terms of the way readers “read” literature now. Words on a page, sure. But you could construct a short story entirely in tweets or phone texts. Or handwrite poetry on 3 x 5 index cards and photograph them (please write legibly). A photo slide show with enigmatic captions. A facsimile of someone’s job application. The menu of a hip restaurant that’s on the forefront of insect haute cuisine. A story made up of urls that readers click on to go on a virtual journey.” Send up to three poems. Details here.

Glintmoon
They publish poems of 10 lines or fewer. They are not partial to traditional forms, such as the haiku or the tanka, nor do they particularly enjoy rhymed or metred work. They accept submissions year-round on a rolling basis and they pay $5 per poem. Details here.

The Capilano Review
This Vancouver-based literary journal is accepting submissions of poetry and prose for its Open issue (Winter 2020). They also publish 500-word reviews of books, art exhibits and events in their review section, and welcome pitches for these on an ongoing basis. Send up to eight pages of poetry. They pay CAD50/page, up to CAD200. The deadline is 31 October 2019. Details here.

Cricket Media
Cricket Media produces literary magazines for children of various ages – Babybug (for ages 6 months to 3 years), Ladybug (ages 3 to 6), Spider (ages 6 to 9), and Cricket (ages 9 to 14). Apart from poetry, they publish fiction, nonfiction, puzzles, crafts, and recipes. The magazines have several themes coming up. Length guidelines for these vary for each magazine. They pay $3/line of poetry, and up to $0.25/word of prose. They are reading submissions until 1 November 2019. Details here.

Clockhouse
This is a literary journal published by Clockhouse Writers’ Conference and Goddard College. Apart from poetry, they also read fiction, creative nonfiction, and drama. The submission deadline is 15 December 2019. Details here.

The Arkansas International
­­­­­This biannual literary journal was launched by the University of Arkansas. Apart from poetry, they publish short stories, essays, comics, and works in translation. They publish both established and emerging voices. After they hit their monthly free submissions cap, submissions are charged (except for translations). Send up to five poems. Pay is $20/page, up to $250. The deadline is 1 April 2020. Details here.

West Branch
This literary magazine, from Bucknell University, publishes poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction, and translation. They accept submissions of up to six poems. Pay is $50 for poetry, and $0.05/word of prose up to $100. The deadline is 1 April 2020. Details here.

Cauldron Anthology
This is a literary journal “about embracing the wild feminine. Pulling from classical stories and myth, each issue will be themed around a woman or myth who embraced the dark and seductive.” They are currently reading on the ‘Cult: Astarte, Isis & Kore’theme. Apart from poetry (send up to five poems), they also accept prose, art, and nonfiction. They accept previously published work. Submissions on this theme are open until 1 November 2019. Details here.

Capulet Mag
This magazine “empowers young women to share their creativity with Juliets everywhere.” They accept work from women between the ages of 15 and 29. Apart from poetry, they accept fiction, creative nonfiction, and art. There is no maximum word count for poetry, but guidelines ask poets to “please keep it reasonable”. Accepted writers will get a physical print copy. The deadline for Volume V is 15 November 2019. Details here.

Colorado Review
This literary is open now for submissions of short fiction and poetry; nonfiction is accepted year-round. Online submissions are charged, but there is no fee for mailed submissions. Send up to 15 pages of poetry. Pay is $10 per page of poetry ($30 minimum), and $200 for prose. The deadline is 30 April 2020. Details here.

Letters Literary Supplement
They accept “beautiful and challenging poetry” for the Letters Literary Supplement, according to their guidelines. They also accept submissions of prose, articles and interviews, book reviews, and translations. Submissions are accepted year-round. Pay is $25. Details here.

Horizons
This is a Christian magazine. It is published by Presbyterian Women, Inc. for the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.). Apart from poetry, they also seek stories and articles on specific themes. For November/December 2019, the theme is ‘USA Mission Experience/Today’s Leaders’ and for January/February 2020, it is ‘Humility and Respect’. Articles/stories should be 600-1,000 words. Submissions may be accompanied by a photograph, illustration or a suggestion for design. Pay is at least $50/page. Details here (download writers’ guidelines), and here (themes – scroll down).

Banshee Lit
This magazine publishes “exciting, accessible, contemporary writing from Ireland and around the world.” The journal is published twice a year. They accept submissions of poetry, stories (including flash fiction), and essays. Writers can send up to six poems. They pay writers a small fee as well as two copies of the journal. They are reading submissions for Issue 10 until 31 October 2019. Details here.

The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts
This magazine publishes “fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, mixed media, visual arts, and even kitchen sinks, if they are compressed in some way.” They publish weekly. They accept a single poem per submission, of 20 lines or 75 words. They also publish triptych submissions, including those of poetry. Pay is $50. The deadline is 15 December 2019. Details here.

Humpty Dumpty
This magazine, from U.S. Kids, is for children ages 2-6. They accept 4-12-line poems. They also publish fiction, build-a-book, and crafts. Pay is $25 and up for poetry, $30 and up for fiction, and $40 and up for crafts. Also look at submission guidelines for Jack and Jill magazine, for children ages 6 to 12 – they accept fiction and nonfiction. Details here.

Folded Word
Their tagline is ‘short-form ecoliterature: fiction, poetry, essay, and travel narrative’. They also accept hybrid works, and publish every Wednesday. Poem submissions should be 30 lines or fewer. Pay is $5, and they read work year-round. Details here.

The Five-Two
The editor wants “Honest, powerful reactions to what you see as crime. 60 lines or fewer per poem. Open to any form or style, including free verse and prose poem. Open to any tone (dark, light, serious, humorous) that rings true.” Also, “The Five-Two‘s purpose is to bear witness to current and historical crime poetically, so the feeling behind the poem reaches countless readers, mirroring the tragic impact of any crime. With a new sense of this impact, may we go forward working peacefully to prevent crime.” They also do a recording of the poem. Details here.

Arsenika
This is a quarterly journal of speculative poetry and flash fiction. They want work that is up to 1,000 words long – send up to five poems. Pay is $30 for poems and $60 for fiction. They also publish in audio format. The deadline is 31 October 2019. Details here.

Atlas Poetica
This literary journal is published several times a year in an 8.5″ x 11″ print version, e-book version, and online. It is dedicated to publishing and promoting fine tanka poetry of place (including waka/kyoka/gogyoshi, either single poems or sets and sequences, single author or multi-author). They also accept related poetry, such as sedoka, mondo, cherita, ryuka, and zuihitsu, but not haiku, unless it occurs as an incidental item in a larger tanka work. They consider socially published submissions if they are identified as such. They also publish translations. They accept submissions year-round. Details here and here.

Elephants Never
They accept flash fiction, poetry and light verse, art, creative nonfiction, and hybrid or other work for ongoing publication. They accept submissions until the 24th of each month for publication the following month. Submissions need not include or feature a pachyderm. They love pieces that engage in wordplay and they’ll always enjoy references to or variations on the phrase, “Elephants never forget.” Send up to three traditional verse or prose poems in any style, including light verse and experimental. Details here.

Frontier Poetry
They want submissions from new and emerging poets for ‘New Voices’, who have not yet published more than one full-length collection of poetry. The only requirement is excellence in craft. They welcome work by diverse poets and underrepresented voices. Send up to five poems, or ten pages. Pay is $50/poem up to $150, and submissions are open year-round. Also see details of their Frontier New Voices Fellowship, with an award of $500 and deadline of 31 October 2019, for poets who are undocumented and living in the US. Details here (scroll down)