About

Here at The Poetry Box^®, we strongly believe great literature is meant to be accessible and enjoyed by everyone. Too often, we hear comments from our non-writer friends, “Poetry is dead” or “I just don’t like (or get) poetry.” Our mission is to bring poetry to the masses. Let’s open a window and usher in the light of language. Poetry has the power to engage, entertain, enlighten.

We invite all voices, and especially those that have been historically marginalized or under-heard to submit and partner with us. We welcome work from both established and emerging writers alike. Every submission starts out in the same pile and is judged merely on its own merit, not the reputation of the writer. We enjoy poems of all styles: formal, free-verse, metered, non-rhyming, experimental, nostalgic, political, erotic, abstract, lyrical, etc. We don’t censor or shy away from ‘tough topics’, however we do draw the line at poetry that discriminates against our fellow humans.

For our first three years, we published a new issue every six months. But, as the response and volume of submissions has increased with each issue, we have decided to release a new issue of The Poeming Pigeon^® every year, each issue having a unique theme. This will allow us ample time to select the best poems from a variety of poets around the globe. Our open calls for submissions to the journal is planned for Sept 15-Oct 31 each year. We encourage you to sign up for our newsletter (at the bottom of this page) to be the first to hear about new themes, submission calls, and book releases.

We pledge to our readers and subscribers to publish a journal teeming with poems to stir your senses, reveal new truths, make you laugh, cry and tilt your head in that curious puppy dog way. And to the accepted poets who share and entrust us with their words, we promise to represent your work in the highest aesthetic possible, in a book you will be proud to share.

Ellaraine Locke
Shawn—I love the new collection on music—so many facets of it represented, and I’m not even finished reading it yet! Congrats on such a beautiful Issue. I’m really pleased to have work in it.
Helen Kerner
How I loved the latest Poeming Pigeon on the topic of music. Thank you so very much for your talented efforts to put this together and to assemble the poems in such a magical order. I’m always fascinated by how collections are presented and this one is perfect. I’m now in Mexico, and I saved the book until I got here, read it page by page from beginning to end savoring every poem. I look forward to your next issue with enthusiasm.
Jack Maze
The recent issue of The Poeming Pigeon: Poems About Music stimulated me to write you. I’m working my way through the issue and have found many of the poems to be both profound and interesting, and in some cases so moving I have to stop.
Bill Cushing
The Poeming Pigeon has landed. . .and it's a grand piece of work. Thanks for a good looking publication. Also, while I haven't been through it all yet, I wanted to comment on my favorite so far: Christopher Luna's "King of What? King of Who?" Oh yeah, reading some of these also inspired me to start tow new musically-oriented pieces.
Judith Kelly Quaempts
I can't tell you how impressed I am by the design and the content—I spent the afternoon reading the wonderful poems and wondering how in heck I got so lucky as to have one of mine included.”
Margaret Van Every
My copy of the sports issue arrived Monday and I want to congratulate you. I just love it. What a great variety of subjects and approaches. Good poets and poetry.
Joseph Ridgway
I just wanted to thank you for a terrific all-around effort on The Poeming Pigeon (sports issue). I recently received my copies and read the journal cover to cover. Your ideas, publishing and keeping your word in every aspect was impressive and greatly appreciated. I was astounded at the credits of your contributors, as well as the quality of their work. I was grandly encouraged and motivated regarding my own future work and thankful to be included in the journal. At 71 years old I am a little too close for comfort to meeting the Cosmos in person to submit on admittedly a great theme; but will be looking forward to the “Pigeon’s” future stops.

We are very happy to announce that Annie Bloom’s Books—a charming brick-n-mortar bookshop in Multnomah Village (7834 SW Capitol Hwy, Portland,Oregon) is now carrying back issues of The Poeming Pigeon. So if you’re in the area, please stop by, and tell them The Poetry Box sent you.

Submission Calls & Updates

Theme: “FROM PANDEMIC TO PROTEST” (CLOSED)

Due to 2020 spinning completely out of control, we decided to memorialize-in-print the great poetry that is being written about the issues that have occupied our minds and our hearts this year. We are looking for poetry about the COVID-19 Pandemic, Black Lives Matter Protests, Presidential Election, Fires, Hurricanes, Murder Hornets, and everything in-between. We welcome all voices and styles of poetry written in response to these issues, including how we cope and find hope. If hindsight really is 20/20, then let this issue serve as an important reminder of what truly happened…before history becomes altered or white-washed as it has so many times before.

Submissions Open: Oct 15 – Dec 15, 2020 (closed, see upcoming themes below)

This issue scheduled for release in Fall 2021.

Update (2/2/21): We have read through almost 1000 submissions for this issue and are finishing up with our final decisions. We have started sending out decisions, but don’t panic if you haven’t heard from us yet. It just means your poetry is still being considered. We will have all decisions finalized by Feb 12.

Upcoming Themes

Upcoming Themes for The Poeming Pigeon:

~~#9 – THE COSMOS: Submissions Open Apr 15 – Jun 15, 2019~~
~~#10 – POP CULTURE: Submissions Open Oct 15 – Dec 15, 2019~~
~~#11 – FROM PANDEMIC TO PROTEST: Submissions Open Oct 15, 2020 – Dec 15, 2020~~
#12 – ANYTHING GOES (Our first non-themed issue): Submissions Open Sept 15, 2021 – Oct 31, 2021

Submission Guidelines

One submission (maximum 3 poems) per author.
Please put all poems in a one single file attachment.
All submissions must be typed…not handwritten. Single-spaced (double space between stanzas).
All poems should have a title.
If submitting more than one poem, please start each poem on a new page.
Include your name (as it should appear in your byline) and email address at the bottom of each page, with page numbers. (We’re not selecting work based on “who”; this is just to help us stay organized.)
For the “anything goes” Issue, we will not consider previously published work.
Please present your poems in the format you’d like them to appear. If some of the lines are wider than our margins, we will consult you regarding any necessary line breaks or indentations needed for formatting. Our page size is 6 x 9 inches with approximately 1 inch margins.
Please use a standard readable font (such as Times New Roman or Arial) in 12pt. Do not embed your poems in graphics or imagery.
On the submittable form, include your BIO (50 words or less) written in THIRD PERSON, in the field provided on Submittable. Please limit your publishing credits to three. Include notable accomplishments and something fun & personal to keep it engaging for our readers.
Simultaneous submissions are okay.
We will not respond to submissions until AFTER the deadline of Oct 31 has passed, to make sure we give everyone a fair shot. If you haven’t heard from us by Feb 1st, feel free to drop us a line to inquire the status of your submission.
We promise to read every submission and respond via email.
We offer our contributing authors a free copy and the chance to pre-order copies of the anthology at a discount 30 days before we go to print. We also support our writers by making nominations from each issue to The Pushcart Prize.
Acceptance grants The Poetry Box North American serial, electronic and archival publishing rights. Copyright always remains with the author. If a poem published first in The Poeming Pigeon is later published elsewhere, we respectfully ask that you credit us as the original publisher.
We only accept submissions via SUBMITTABLE. Click on the button below to submit your work: