Olúmọ Review is an online poetry journal produced in Ogun State, Nigeria. They are looking for powerful poetry: “poetry that is bold, poetry that would collide with rocks and grind them to powder … that kicks in the teeth, that guts the heart”. They are also looking for poetry that balances the personal and the universal, “that says something genuine about the world as well as the individual.” You can get a sense of what they publish by reading the journal online.
Olúmọ was launched in 2022, and since then they’ve published five issues, each with around ten poems or fewer. The issues are thoughtfully designed, and available to read for free online.
Olúmọ is published twice a year, in June and December. They are open for submissions twice a year as well, from January 1 through March 31, and from July 1 through September 30.
Most of Olúmọ’s issues are not themed; however, some are themed. Right now through March 31 they are seeking submissions for their upcoming issue themed “Theophany”.
Poets may submit up to three poems on this theme. Submitting poets can expect a response within eight weeks.
Olúmọ pays poets published in their journal, and they nominate poems for Best of the Net. The also offer contributor copies.
Olúmọ accepts submissions via email, not online or by post. They accept simultaneous submissions but ask that authors withdraw poems published elsewhere.
Olúmọ only accepts submissions that follow the guidelines they’ve posted online. Please read these guidelines in full before submitting.
If you would like to learn more submit to Olúmọ, please visit their website here.
Bio: Ella Peary is the pen name of an internationally published author and editor. After earning a Master of Fine Arts degree in poetry from Sarah Lawrence College, she lived as a monastic for five years. She now lives as a lay monastic, and teaches poetry, flash fiction, and literary publishing at the Authors Publish Writers Workshop. Her writing has been published in Room, The Apple Valley Review, Fourteen Hills, and elsewhere. And a number of full-length manuscripts she’s edited have received major international awards, including The Best Graphic Novel of the Year (Comics Finlandia), The Montaigne Medal, and The National Indie Excellence Awards. She’s also a long-time literary journal reviewer and editor at Authors Publish Magazine.
