Meta description: Explore the best poetry magazines in the USA, UK, Australia, Canada, India and Pakistan. Find free, paying and prestigious poetry journals that accept submissions.
Primary keyword: poetry magazines
Related keywords used: poetry journals, literary magazines, poetry submissions, online poetry magazines, submission guidelines, reading period, contributor copies, emerging poets, poetry contests
Poetry Magazines Introduction
Poetry magazines are periodicals that publish new poems, interviews, reviews and essays about verse. Some arrive in your mailbox every quarter. Others live online and update every week. Both types give poets a place to be read, and give readers a way to find voices they would never meet in a bookshop.
If you write poetry, these publications matter for three reasons. They build your publishing record. They connect you with editors and other writers. And they show you what contemporary poetry sounds like right now, not fifty years ago.
This guide covers more than 25 poetry magazines and journals from around the world. You will find famous titles, free options, paying markets, regional lists and practical advice on how to submit. Use it as a starting map, then check each magazine’s own website, because reading periods, fees and pay rates change often.
Read Also This Blog: Poetry Gathering
Why Poetry Magazines Still Matter?
A poem in a respected journal does more than fill a page. It tells future editors, publishers and prize judges that someone else has read your work and chosen it.
Most first poetry collections are built from poems that were first published in magazines. Many poets also say that reading journals regularly taught them more about style than any workshop.
Here is what a good poetry magazine can offer:
- A real audience for new and emerging poets
- Editorial feedback, sometimes handwritten
- Eligibility for anthologies and awards such as the Pushcart Prize and Best American Poetry
- Payment or contributor copies
- A community of readers, reviewers and fellow writers
10 Famous Poetry Magazines
These are the names you will see mentioned again and again in writing programs, bio notes and book acknowledgments.
| Magazine | Country | Why it is well known |
|---|---|---|
| Poetry | USA | Founded in 1912 in Chicago by Harriet Monroe, it is one of the oldest poetry magazines in the English language |
| The American Poetry Review | USA | A large format tabloid that has published major names since the early 1970s |
| Rattle | USA | Accessible, popular and known for its annual poetry prize and open submissions |
| Poetry London | UK | Respected for balancing established poets with new voices |
| Poetry Review | UK | The journal of the Poetry Society, published since 1912 |
| Poetry Ireland Review | Ireland | A leading voice for Irish and international verse |
| Ploughshares | USA | A literary magazine out of Emerson College with a strong poetry section |
| The Kenyon Review | USA | A long established journal with a reputation for quality |
| Meanjin | Australia | One of the country’s most influential literary journals |
| The Malahat Review | Canada | A respected quarterly publishing poetry, fiction and essays |
Each of these magazines receives far more poems than it can print. Recent tracking data from submission community sites suggests acceptance rates for the most competitive poetry journals sit below one percent. That should not discourage you. It should push you to read a few issues first and send your strongest work.
10 Free Poetry Magazines
“Free” can mean two things. It can mean the magazine is free to read online, or it can mean there is no fee to submit. The list below covers both, and you should always confirm the current policy on each website.
- Poetry (Poetry Foundation): Selected poems and articles are available online at no cost.
- Poem-a-Day (Academy of American Poets): A new poem lands in your inbox every day.
- Rattle: Many poems can be read online, and submissions have long been free.
- Diode Poetry Journal: An online journal that favors bold, contemporary work.
- Poetry Daily: A daily feature of poems drawn from new books and magazines.
- Verse Daily: Similar in style, with one poem highlighted each day.
- Cordite Poetry Review: An Australian journal with free online issues.
- Sixth Finch: A web journal with a playful, inventive taste.
- Palette Poetry: Online poetry and interviews, with a loyal following among emerging poets.
- Poetry Foundation’s online archive: Thousands of poems and poet biographies, searchable by theme.
Tip: Free to read does not always mean free to submit. Some journals charge a small reading fee through Submittable to cover staff costs. Check the guidelines before you send anything.
Poetry Magazines USA
The United States has the biggest and most varied poetry magazine scene in the world. Large university journals sit beside tiny independent zines.
- Poetry: Open to submissions year round through its online system.
- The American Poetry Review: Prestigious and extremely selective.
- Poet Lore: One of the oldest poetry journals in the country, run from the Washington, D.C. area.
- 32 Poems: A smaller journal known for careful editing.
- Beloit Poetry Journal: A long running journal with an adventurous eye.
- Frontier Poetry: An online home for emerging writers and contest winners.
- Rattle: Based in California and published quarterly.
American journals often list their reading periods clearly. Some open only in spring or fall, so mark your calendar.
Poetry Magazines UK
British poetry magazines have a rich history, and several are still run by small teams of devoted editors.
| Magazine | Focus |
|---|---|
| Poetry London | Contemporary poems, reviews and interviews |
| Poetry Review | The Poetry Society’s flagship quarterly |
| The Rialto | Respected independent magazine with open submissions |
| Magma | Themed issues edited by different editors each time |
| PN Review | Poetry, criticism and translation |
| Ambit | Poetry, fiction and art |
| Poetry Wales | Welsh and international poetry |
| Stand | Long standing literary quarterly |
If you live in the UK, also look at your regional writing organizations and local poetry societies. Many publish their own pamphlets and newsletters.
Scottish Poetry Magazines
Scotland has its own proud tradition of verse, written in English, Scots and Gaelic. These publications are good places to start.
- Gutter: A Glasgow based magazine for new Scottish writing.
- New Writing Scotland: An annual anthology from the Association for Scottish Literary Studies.
- Poetry Scotland: A magazine devoted to poems from Scotland and beyond.
- Lallans: Published by the Scots Language Society and focused on writing in Scots.
- Northwords Now: A magazine centered on the north of Scotland.
- Scottish Poetry Library: Not a magazine, but an excellent resource for news, listings and online poems.
Many Scottish journals welcome work in Scots and Gaelic, which makes them a rare opportunity for poets who write in those languages.
Poetry Magazines Australia
Australian poetry magazines blend local voices with strong international connections.
- Meanjin: A flagship literary quarterly based in Melbourne.
- Overland: Known for politically engaged writing.
- Island: A Tasmanian journal publishing poetry, stories and essays.
- Cordite Poetry Review: Themed online issues with a lively community.
- Westerly: A western Australian journal with a long history.
- Southerly: One of the country’s oldest literary journals.
- Australian Poetry Journal: Published through Australian Poetry.
- Rabbit Poetry Journal: A journal for experimental and unconventional verse.
Several Australian magazines pay their contributors, which is not always the case elsewhere.
Poetry Magazines Canada
Canadian poetry magazines are strongly supported by regional arts councils, and many welcome international submissions.
- The Malahat Review: From the University of Victoria, with a high reputation.
- Arc Poetry Magazine: A dedicated poetry magazine based in Ottawa.
- The Fiddlehead: One of the oldest literary journals in the country.
- PRISM international: Based at the University of British Columbia.
- EVENT: A long running journal with poetry and prose.
- Grain: A Saskatchewan based literary magazine.
- CV2: A magazine from Manitoba focused on poetry.
- Prairie Fire: A quarterly from Winnipeg.
Many Canadian magazines run annual contests that carry cash prizes, so check their calendars.
Poetry Magazines India
India has a vibrant poetry scene in English and in regional languages such as Hindi, Bengali, Tamil, Malayalam and Urdu.
- Indian Literature: A Sahitya Akademi journal covering writing from many Indian languages.
- Muse India: An online literary journal with poetry, fiction and reviews.
- Kavya Bharati: A journal of Indian poetry published in Madurai.
- The Bombay Literary Magazine: An independent magazine for new writing.
- Borderless Journal: An online journal for South Asian and global voices.
- Poetry Chain: A journal connected to the Indian poetry community.
- Aainanagar: A poetry journal that has featured Indian voices.
If you write in a regional language, look for state level literary journals and university publications as well.
Poetry Magazines Pakistan
Pakistan has a strong poetic heritage rooted in Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto and Balochi traditions. Poetry magazines here often combine classical ghazal and nazm with modern free verse.
- Adab-e-Latif: A long running Urdu literary monthly from Lahore.
- Funoon: An Urdu journal featuring poetry and criticism.
- Nuqoosh: A respected Urdu literary magazine.
- Adabiyat: Published by the Pakistan Academy of Letters.
- Aleph Review: An English language literary journal showcasing Pakistani writers.
- Dawn Books and Authors: The weekly literary pages of Dawn newspaper often feature poetry and reviews.
Poets writing in English should also look at South Asian focused online journals, many of which welcome Pakistani voices and diaspora writers.
Christian Poetry Magazines
Faith based poetry magazines welcome work that explores belief, doubt, grief and grace. Many are open to writers of different backgrounds.
- Image Journal: A respected arts and faith publication.
- Christianity and Literature: A scholarly journal that also engages with poetry.
- The Christian Century: A well known magazine that publishes poems regularly.
- Relief Journal: A literary journal with a Christian worldview.
- Windhover: A journal from a Christian university with a poetry section.
- Dappled Things: A quarterly of Catholic arts and literature.
- Presence: A journal of Catholic poetry.
Read a few issues before submitting. Each publication has its own theological and literary perspective.
Rattle Poetry Magazine
Rattle deserves its own section because so many poets hear about it first. It was founded in 1994 and is published in California. It is known for an easy to read style, a warm editorial voice and publishing poems of many different forms.
Here is why poets love it:
- Poets of all experience levels are welcome
- Contributors are paid
- It runs the Rattle Poetry Prize, one of the larger cash prizes in the field
- It hosts regular themed challenges
- It shares many poems and interviews online
Rattle receives thousands of submissions. Submission tracking sites report an acceptance rate below one percent, so patience matters. Read recent issues and send work that fits the magazine’s open tone.
Online Poetry Magazines
Online poetry magazines are growing quickly because they are cheaper to run and easier to share. They also reach readers worldwide.
| Magazine | Style |
|---|---|
| Rattle | Broad, accessible and popular |
| Diode Poetry Journal | Contemporary and experimental |
| Palette Poetry | Emerging writers and contests |
| Frontier Poetry | New voices and prize winners |
| Cordite Poetry Review | Themed issues from Australia |
| Sixth Finch | Inventive and playful |
| ONE ART | Open to many poets |
| Poetry Daily | Daily showcase of published work |
Why submit online? Response times are often shorter, your poem is easy to link in a bio, and readers can share it on social media.
Poetry Magazines Accepting Submissions
Magazines open and close their reading periods throughout the year. Here is how to find the ones open right now:
- Check the website of each magazine you like and read its submission page.
- Use submission databases such as Chill Subs, Duotrope, Submittable’s discover page and Reedsy’s directory of poetry literary magazines.
- Follow journals on social media, where editors announce when they open.
- Subscribe to newsletters that list open calls every month.
Always read the guidelines. Look for word limits, number of poems allowed, simultaneous submission rules and file formats.
Poetry Magazines That Pay
Payment varies widely. Some journals pay a flat rate per poem. Others pay by the line. Many smaller journals offer contributor copies only.
Markets commonly known for paying poets include:
- Poetry (Poetry Foundation)
- Rattle
- Palette Poetry
- The New Yorker
- The Sun
- Ploughshares
- The Kenyon Review
- Cordite Poetry Review
- Meanjin and Overland
Pay rates change, so confirm them on each website. A smart approach is to build a mix of paying markets and respected unpaid journals. Prestige and publication credits can also be valuable.
Most Prestigious Poetry Magazines
Prestige depends on history, editorial reputation and the poets who have appeared in a magazine. These titles are widely respected:
- Poetry
- The New Yorker
- The American Poetry Review
- The Paris Review
- Poetry London
- Poetry Review
- The London Review of Books
- The Georgia Review
- The Threepenny Review
- Ploughshares
Do not measure your worth by where you are published. A good poem in a smaller journal is still a good poem, and many strong poets began in local zines.
Poetry Literary Magazines
Literary magazines publish several genres, including poetry, short stories, essays and reviews. A general literary magazine usually gives poetry a smaller portion of each issue, which can make competition fierce.
University run literary journals are a good place for emerging poets. Examples include The Carolina Quarterly, Copper Nickel, Prairie Schooner, Boston Review and The Southampton Review. Many have decades of history and take pride in discovering new writers.
Poetry Publishing Magazines
Some publications focus on the business and craft side of poetry. They help you understand how publishing works.
- Poets and Writers: News, advice, contests and a large database of literary magazines.
- The Writer’s Chronicle: Published by the Association of Writers and Writing Programs.
- Writer’s Digest: Articles and market information for different genres.
- Poetry Foundation and Academy of American Poets websites: Essays, news and calls for work.
These resources are especially useful if you are building a manuscript for a first book or chapbook.
Famous Poets Who Started in Poetry Magazines
Many well known poets published in magazines long before their books appeared. Poetry magazine alone helped introduce T. S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, Wallace Stevens and Gwendolyn Brooks to wider readers. In the UK, magazines such as Poetry Review and Stand supported generations of writers. In South Asia, journals have carried the work of poets such as Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Kamala Das and Agha Shahid Ali.
Their paths show that small publications often come first and large book deals come later.
How to Submit Poems to Poetry Magazines?
Follow these steps to raise your chances of acceptance:
- Read the magazine first. Study at least two recent issues.
- Polish your poems. Edit for sound, rhythm and image, then read them aloud.
- Follow the guidelines exactly. Editors notice when writers ignore them.
- Write a short cover letter. Include a two or three line bio.
- Keep a tracking sheet. Record where and when you sent each poem.
- Submit widely. Send to several magazines at once when simultaneous submissions are allowed.
- Withdraw when accepted. Notify other journals immediately if a poem is taken elsewhere.
- Keep going after rejection. Most poets collect many rejections before they succeed.
Common Submission Mistakes to Avoid
- Sending work to a magazine you have never read
- Ignoring page limits or file formats
- Submitting unfinished drafts
- Arguing with an editor after a rejection
- Forgetting to record simultaneous submissions
Small habits like these separate professional looking submissions from the rest.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the best poetry magazines to read?
Poetry, Rattle, The American Poetry Review, Poetry London and Cordite Poetry Review are widely loved. Read a few to find the style that suits you.
Which poetry magazines are free to submit to?
Rattle, Poetry and several online journals have been free to submit to. Always check the current guidelines because policies change.
Do poetry magazines pay poets?
Some do, either by the poem or by the line. Many smaller journals offer contributor copies instead.
What is the oldest poetry magazine in America?
Poetry, founded in Chicago in 1912, is among the oldest and most famous.
How many poems should I send to a poetry magazine?
Most magazines ask for three to five poems. Follow each journal’s own guidelines.
Can beginners submit to poetry magazines?
Yes. Many magazines welcome emerging poets, and some are designed for them.
Are online poetry magazines respected?
Yes. Many online journals are selective and their poems are often nominated for major awards.
Can I submit the same poem to several magazines?
Only if the magazines allow simultaneous submissions. Notify the others at once if a poem is accepted.
Conclusion
Poetry magazines remain one of the best ways to share your writing, learn from other poets and build a literary career. Whether you pick a famous title, a free online journal or a regional publication from India, Pakistan or Scotland, the key is to read first and submit with care.
Start small. Choose five magazines that match your style, study their latest issues and send your best three poems. Keep a record, stay patient and keep writing. Every acceptance begins with a poem someone dared to send.