UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

September 11 (Sunday) @ 2-4pm – Poets at Large: An affiliation of regional poets will perform in a series of spoken word/poetry readings at Roseland Park, 205 Roseland Park Road, Woodstock, CT, and will be in the Rose Bowl outdoor auditorium (barn if rain). Featured Readers: Karen Warinsky, Paul Richmond, Margaret Gibson. Featured open mic: Nancy Weiss. These readings are free to the public and will include an open mic segment. Sign-ups at the event; 5-minute limit.
Email karen.warinsky@gmail.com with questions.
 
September 14 (Wednesday) @ 7pm - Riverwood Poetry Series @ Real Art Ways at 56 Arbor Street in Hartford will host a Book Launch Extraordinaire, including Steve Straight, Peggy Deitz Shea, Brad Davis, and Ginny Lowe Connors, as they introduce their newest poetry books. This is to celebrate the re-opening of in-person readings with them. Audience mask wearing is encouraged, but not required. An open mic will follow the featured readers—one poem, one page please.
 
September 15 (Thursday) @6-7pm – Suzanne Frischkorn and Emily Hockaday will read from their work and talk the literary life with Laurel Peterson at the Norwalk Public Library at 1 Belden Avenue in Norwalk. Both writers explore what it means to be mothers and writers, and discuss loss—of loved ones, of a culture, of identity. Free to attend. Email clahey@norwalkpl.org to register.
 
September 16 (Friday) @7pm – The Arts Café Mystic presents Searching for Norman Rockwell. Located in the main gallery of the Mystic Museum of Art, located at 9 Water Street in Mystic, 15 poets, writers, and musicians will share newly completed pieces responding to a painting of their choice in the “Tell Me a Story” exhibit on display in the museum. Admission: $15 (students: $5). Masks optional.
 
September 17 (Saturday) @ 2pm – The WordHouse Reading Series presents short readings by current and past Poets Laureate of the town of West Hartford CT—Benjamin S. Grossberg, Maria Sassi, Ginny Lowe Connors, Dennis Barone, Christine Beck and James Finnegan. Taking place at the Noah Webster House at 227 South Main Street in West Hartford. Reading is free and starts with an open mic. For more info, contact Jim: JforJames@aol.com or 860-508-2810.
 
September 19-22 (Monday-Thursday) @ various times – The Windham Campbell Prizes 2022 Festival is a 4-day event that is free and open to the public. It takes place at Yale University in New Haven at various locations around campus. Talks by authors and poets, including book launches, readings, and literary conversations and lectures. See the schedule for more information.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Passager
Deadline: September 15, 2022
Magazine for writers over 50. Submit up to 5 poems of 40 lines each. Theme: ancestral or generational trauma. Simultaneous submission okay. No reading fee; no payment.
 
Publication: Women in their 80s
Deadline: September 30, 2022
Octogenarian poetry and prose anthology seeking submissions.
Email submissions to detaylor@cabrillo.edu.
 
Publisher: Presence: A Journal of Catholic Poetry
Deadline: October 1, 2022
Submit up to 5 poems of no more than 2 pages per poem. They publish poetry written by authors whose work is informed by the Catholic faith. Simultaneous submissions okay. No reading fee; no payment.
 
Publisher: Amethyst Review
Submit up to five poems (of any length). Simultaneous submissions okay. Your work should engage in some way with spirituality or the sacred. No reading fee; no payment.
 
Publisher: Stone of Madness Press
Deadline: September 30, 2022
Submit up to 2 poems at once up to 4 pages total. Prefer unshaped/nonvisual poetry. Free to submit; can also opt for a $5 paid submission to receive either a fast response or feedback.

A great meeting, but there are no notes for August... Alison was on the road moving to Canada and didn't have any notes for this month. More happenings in September!

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

July 11 (Monday) @ 7pm – “A Garden of Verse” presents poets Meredith Bergmann and Kyle Potvin at the Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center at 152 Main Street in Ridgefield. Hosted by Ridgefield Poet Laureate Barb Jennes, the grounds open at 6:30pm. Attendees should bring a lawn chair or blanket. If it rains, the event will move indoors to the museum. Free to attend.
 
July 14 (Thursday) @ 6-8pm - Join with poets from the ongoing twice-monthly virtual Norwalk Poetry Workshop, led by Norwalk Poet Laureate Bill Hayden for an evening of Live Ekphrastic Poetry at the Norwalk Art Space’s Creative Happy Hour at 455 West Avenue in Norwalk. Free to attend, and the Café will be open for refreshments (for sale) during the creative happy hour.

July 15 (Friday) @ 7pm – Poetry reading online, featuring Bronwen Tate, Lynn Xu, Kate Schapira, Michael Tod Edgerton, and Caroline Noble Whitbeck. Free to attend; registration required for Zoom link. Hosted by the White Whale Bookstore.
 
July 17 (Sunday) @ 2-4pm – Poets at Large: An affiliation of regional poets will perform in a series of spoken word/poetry readings at Roseland Park, 205 Roseland Park Road, Woodstock, CT, and will be in the Rose Bowl outdoor auditorium (barn if rain). Featured Readers: Candace Curran, Tony Fusco, Eve Rifkah; Featured Open Mic reader, Michael Milligan. These readings are free to the public and will include an open mic segment. Sign-ups at the event; 5-minute limit.
Email karen.warinsky@gmail.com with questions.
 
July 20 (Wednesday) @ 7pm – Triple book launch online reading with poets David Cappella, Michael C. Keith and Doug Mathewson. Free to attend. Contact Gloria Mindock at editor@cervenabarvapress.com for the Zoom link.
 
July 20 (Wednesday) @ 7-8pm – Online poetry reading & discussion featuring Conyer Clayton and Sienna Tristen. Two plant-loving poets discuss their new releases, top gardening/foraging tips, and how animism influences their wordsmithing. Free to attend; registration required for Zoom link.
 
July 25 (Monday) @ 7pm – “A Garden of Verse” presents poets Joan Kwon Glass and Jordan Franklin at the Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center at 152 Main Street in Ridgefield. Hosted by Ridgefield Poet Laureate Barb Jennes, the grounds open at 6:30pm. Attendees should bring a lawn chair or blanket. If it rains, the event will move indoors to the museum. Free to attend.

Join with poets from the ongoing twice-monthly virtual Norwalk Poetry Workshop, led by Norwalk Poet Laureate Bill Hayden for an evening of Live Ekphrastic Poetry along with the Norwalk Art Space’s Creative Happy Hour to be held on Thursday, July 14th from 6-8pm at 455 West Avenue Norwalk, CT. By the way the Café will be open for refreshments during the creative happy hour!

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Rattle Poetry Prize
Deadline: July 16, 2022
Send up to 4 poems of any theme per entry. No line limit. Entry fee is a 1-year subscription to Rattle at their regular rate of $25. Multiple entries accepted, each accompanied by the $25 fee (and each entry will extend the entrant’s subscription to Rattle by 1 year). Simultaneous submissions okay. Blind read. The top winner will receive $15,000 and ten finalists will receive $500. All winners and finalists will be published in Rattle. Of the finalists, one will be chosen by the readers of Rattle and receive an additional $5000 and the Readers’ Choice Award.
 
Publisher: Pure Slush and Truth Serum Press
Deadline: July 31, 2022
Theme for the anthology is marriage. Send 5 poems of between 80-1000 words each. No submission fee; no payment.
 
Publisher: Sliced Up Press
Deadline: July 31, 2022
Call for submissions for their newest anthology Bloodless. Submit one poem within the horror genre that does not mention blood at all. No simultaneous submissions. No fee to submit; payment of $30 plus one print copy of the anthology.
 
Publisher: The Sprawl Mag
Deadline: July 31, 2022
Looking for speculative poetry. Accept simultaneous submissions. Submit 1-4 poems of no more than 40 lines per poem. Payment of $20 CAD per published piece.
 
Publisher: Winchester Poetry Festival
Deadline: July 31, 2022 (UK time)
Unlimited entry for poems - entry fee is £5 for first poem, £4 for subsequent poems, and there will be a limited number of entries available for those who can’t pay the entry fee. Send poems of no more than 40 lines (excluding title). Blind read. First Prize: £1,000, 2nd Prize: £500, 3rd Prize: £250.
 
Publisher: MONO. Poetry Prize 2022
Deadline: August 1, 2022 (UK time)
You can enter up to three poems at a cost of £6 per poem. Any theme, but the judge enjoys work that “tests the limits.” 1st Prize £500 and publication in MONO., 2nd Prize £200, 3rd Prize £100, 3 highly commended poems will be published on the MONO. blog.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

June 12 (Sunday) @ 2-3:30pm – Poets on Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder – a reading and panel for PTSD Awareness Month. Located at Reader’s Block Bookstore, 2420 Main Street in Stratford. Featuring Jwon Choi, Emily Franklin, Saida Agostini, Lynne Schmidt, Fox Henry Frazer and Joan Kwon Glass. Light refreshments will be served.
 
June 12 (Sunday) @ 4pm – Music and Poetry to Benefit Ukraine. The Windy Hill Guitar Ensemble and the Kachala Family will present a benefit concert to benefit Ukraine at the South Congregational Church, 242 Salmon Brook Street, in Granby. In addition to Ukrainian and world music, performers will include poet Kevin Carey of the Connecticut Poetry Society. Due to Covid-19 protocols, for those attending in person, masks and social distancing will be required. For more information contact Laura Mazza-Dixon, director of the Windy Hill Guitar Studio at 860-653-6146 or at mazzadixon@gmail.com. For those who can’t attend in person, a video will be available on the South Church YouTube channel after the concert.
 
June 18 (Thursday) @ 1pm – The annual Rose Garden Reading with the award-winning poets Julien Strong and Luisa Caycedo-Kimura, editor of the Connecticut River Review. Event will be at St. John’s Episcopal Church, Hubbard Hall, 679 Farmington Avenue in West Hartford. Sponsored by the Friends & Enemies of Wallace Stevens. Free to attend. For more information, contact Jim Finnegan at JforJames@aol.com or 860-508-2810.
 
June 22 (Wednesday) @ 6pm. Held the 4th Wednesday of every month, poet laureate of Yorktown John McMullen hosts a poetry workshop on Zoom. It’s a place for poets to sharpen their skills by reading their work and having it respectfully criticized, as well as listen to the work of others and share information about the business of poetry and publishing. If you plan to attend, please email johnmac13@gmail.com.
Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83176155376
 
June 23 (Thursday) @ 7pm – The Connecticut Poetry Society presents Poets on Poetry with moderator and poet Antoinette Brim-Bell in conversation with Cornelius Eady, who is an award-winning poet, musician, and co-founder of Cave Canem. Free and open to the public.
Zoom link
Meeting ID: 894 3704 2728
Passcode: 952778
 
June 26 (Sunday) 2-4pm – Poets at Large: An affiliation of regional poets will perform in a series of spoken word/poetry readings at Roseland Park, 205 Roseland Park Road, Woodstock, CT, and will be in the Rose Bowl outdoor auditorium (barn if rain). Featured Readers: Dina Stander, Robert Eugene Perry, Ben Grossberg; featured Open Mic reader, Sarah St. George. These readings are free to the public and will include an open mic segment. Sign-ups at the event; 5-minute limit. Email karen.warinsky@gmail.com with questions.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: The Twin Bill
Deadline: July 1, 2022
Please send up to five poems per issue. They love baseball from all eras, but would particularly like to see poems of a more contemporary style or subject matter. Simultaneous submissions are okay. No fee to submit. Pays $5 honorarium per published poem.
 
Publisher: Poetry London Prize
Deadline: June 30, 2022 (London time)
Open to poets worldwide. Submit as many poems as you’d like, but each one must be accompanied by the entry fee of £4-£8. Free entries are available for writers on low incomes. 1st prize: £5,000, 2nd prize: £2,000, 3rd prize: £1,000 plus publication in Poetry London.
 
Publisher: Annual Slapering Hol Press Chapbook Contest
Deadline: June 15, 2022
Contest open to all writers who have not yet published a book of poetry. Manuscripts can either be a collection of poems or one long poem and should be a minimum of sixteen and a maximum of twenty pages (not including title page, table of contents, or cover sheet). Blind read. $15 reading fee. BIPOC submissions are free. The winner receives a $500 cash award, publication, ten copies, a reading at the Hudson Valley Writers Center, plus travel expenses up to $500 if needed and if reading is in person. Winning poets are also offered editorial and marketing advice.
 
Publisher: Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology
Deadline: June 30, 2022
Submit no more than 5 poems inspired by Dolly Parton’s life and music. Poems should not exceed 3 pages, for a total of 15 pages max. No fee to submit. Contributors will receive 1 copy of the anthology as payment.
 
Publisher: FAMILY anthology by THE POET
Deadline: June 30, 2022
Mothers and fathers, husbands, wives and partners, grandmothers and grandfathers, sons and daughters, grandchildren, aunties, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins; whether from your distant past, present day, or forthcoming arrivals, you can write about anything to do with family. Submit up to 4 poems of any style. No profanity of any kind or adult themes; family-friendly publication. No fee to submit. Contributors will receive a PDF copy of the anthology they’re published in.
 
Publisher: The Lauria/Frasca Poetry Prize 2022
Deadline: July 1, 2022
The prize promotes the literature of the Italian diaspora and is open to poets of Italian descent writing poems on any style and theme. The winning poet will be awarded $1000 and Bordighera Press will publish the manuscript, along with a standard royalty contract. Completed manuscript should be 48-75 pages with 1 poem per page. Simultaneous submission okay. Entry fee $20. Multiple manuscripts can be submitted, accompanied by a reading fee.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

May 15 @ 3pm – The next Poetry Rocks reading will take place in person this Sunday, May 15, 3:00pm, at Arts Center East, 709 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon, CT. Featuring Christine Beck, author of four books of poetry; Summer Tate, who teaches at Fairfield University; and award-winning Rockville High School student Muriel Stankeviciute. To sign up for the open mic, contact pegideitzshea@aol.com. Suggested donation $5. Masks recommended. Free to attend.
 
May 15 @ 7pm – Bantam Cinema & Arts Center, located at 115 Bantam Lake Road in Bantam, presents Susan Katz reading from her new book The Limits of Light, a collection of narrative poems which explore how the tales of Greek Mythology compare to contemporary life. Suggested donation of $15. All proceeds will be donated to the Cinema & Arts Center.
 
May 20 @ 7pm (Friday) – The Art Café Mystic presents Tim Seibles, author of seven collections of poetry and Poet Laureate Emeritus of Virginia. Music and poetry at The Mystic Museum of Art, 9 Water Street, Mystic. Admission $15 (students $5).
 
May 21 @ 10am-noon (Saturday) – The Noah Webster Library sponsors the Faxon Poets, who meet the third Saturday of every month at the library at 20 S Main Street in West Hartford. Poets will share their work and discuss poetry in general. Free to attend.
 
May 26 @ 7pm - Connecticut Poetry Society is featuring Lawson Fusao Inada, a third-generation Japanese American, known for his exploration of Japanese American internment during World War II. Session moderated by Aaron Caycedo-Kimura. Free to attend.
Zoom link
Passcode: 069298
 
May 24-27 (various times) – Poetry by the Sea, a global conference & community, is now back in person this spring. Located at The Mercy by the Sea Center, 167 Neck Road in Madison, the keynote speaker is Marilyn Nelson. There will be a number of readings, one-day workshops, and three-day workshops – check out their schedule online.
 
June 9 @ 7-8:30pm – Wintonbury Poetry Series Workshop presents The Art of Submitting/Reach for the Stars. An interactive session led by Luisa Caycedo-Kimura to help you submit your writing. Free to attend.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY
 
Publisher: Miniskirt Magazine
Deadline: May 31, 2022
Accepting submissions for their next two issues. Theme: love and romance. Submit up to 5 poems, no more than 10 pages total. Reprints accepted. Simultaneous submissions okay. No reading fee; no payment. Response within 6 weeks.

Publisher: Defunkt Magazine chapbook contest
Deadline: May 31, 2022
Accepting submissions for poetry chapbooks. Variable reading fee from $6-$25, based on the writer’s ability to pay. Submit up to 20 pages of poetry. Winners of the contest will receive a publishing deal with a $30 advance and a print run of 50 chapbooks.

Publisher: Bethlehem Writers Roundtable
Deadline: June 1, 2022
Submit on poem for consideration at a time, but once you receive a response, can submit again for the same call. Summer theme is “unplugged.” No horror or erotica. Payment of $5 per published poem. Submission form on website; free to submit.
  
Publisher: Red Ogre Review
Deadline: June 1, 2022
Submit up to ten poems or prose poems. Optional donation to support the magazine; no payment for publication.

Publisher: HASH
Deadline: June 1, 2022
Accepting all forms of poetry, they tend to publish pieces that are culturally observant, humorous, and a little offbeat. Simultaneous submissions okay. No reading fee/no payment.
 
Publisher: Cotton Xenomorph
Deadline: June 2, 2022
Send 3-5 poems (or 1 long poem). Single or 1.5 spacing is preferred. No reading fee; no payment.

Publisher: Unsettling Reads
Deadline: July 1, 2022 or until full (previous anthologies have all closed before their deadline)
Call for submissions for their newest anthology, Still of Winter: A Fantasy, Horror & Sci-Fi Anthology. Looking for spec fic poems that feature the winter season, trees, and are a bit creepy. Send up to 3 poems. Simultaneous submissions okay. No fee to submit, no payment.

Special shout-out to the wonderful writer Jonathan C. Hopkins, who read his poem "Supreme Justice: A Spoken Word Poem for Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson." If you'd like to hear more of his work, check out his YouTube channel or find his poetry collection on Amazon: Golden Dreams on Copper Wings: Life's Flight Through Poetry.

POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

The Poets’ Salon
Zoom meeting online – 2nd Saturday of every month from 10am-noon
Read a poem and get light critiques from fellow poets.
 
Anything Goes!
The Buttonwood Tree, 605 Main Street, Middletown
Every Monday from 7-10pm
Doors open at 6:30pm. Sing a song, recite a poem, dance – open to all creativity. Entry: $5.
 
PoemAlley
Curley's Diner, 62 West Park Place, Stamford
Every Tuesday from 7-9pm
Eclectic venue for poets, poetry reading and discussion. Come and contribute, or simply listen. The leader is Ralph Nazareth – contact him at ralphnazareth@mac.com with any questions.
 
WritersMic
Zoom meeting online – 3rd Tuesday of the month from 7-9pm
Free, casual open-mic format. We welcome fiction, essay, memoir, non-fiction, poetry, screenplays and essays. Each reader will have 5 minutes/average about 1000 words. While not a critique group, you can request feedback afterwards.
 
Poetz Realm
Bridgeport Creates, 1001 Main Street, Suite 14, Bridgeport – every Wednesday at 8pm
Open mic, free if you read, $5 to listen. BYOB and potluck. Open to poets, emcees, singers, storytellers, comedians & musicians.
 
The Poetry Institute
The Institute Library, 847 Chapel St, New Haven (2nd floor) - 3rd Thursday of every month at 7pm (doors open at 6:30pm)
The Poetry Institute Poetry Series celebrates an eclectic mix of poetic voices. Free. Refreshments provided, although participants invited to bring something. Open mike, plus featured writers.
 
Wilton Chapter, CT Poetry Society Meeting
Wilton Library, 137 Old Ridgefield Road, Wilton – 3rd Saturday of every month from 2-4pm
Structured workshop. Participants are members of (or can join) the Connecticut Poetry Society. Bring several copies of one short poem for critique.
 
Open Mic Night
Unity Center, 3 Main Street, 2nd floor, Norwalk
Every other month from 7-9pm
Comedians, poets, writers, musicians, and all sorts of entertainers are welcome. Entry: $10.

HELPFUL WEBSITES FOR POETRY SUBMISSIONS

AllPoetry.com
Free to join. Large online poetry community – get feedback and enter poetry contests.
 
Commaful
Free to join. Active community of writers and poets – post poems accompanied by images.
 
Deep Underground Poetry
Free to join. Publish poems, get feedback on your writing, enter contests.
 
Duotrope
Payment required to use. List of magazines, anthologies and contests for both fiction and poetry.
 
Hello Poetry
Free to join. An invite-only community focused exclusively on poetry.
 
Poetry Soup
Free to join. A place to get poems published, list achievements and discuss poetry.
 
Poets.org
Free to join/use. Database of 7,500 poems and listing of events and contests.
 
Poets & Writers
Free to use. List of helpful articles and news items, including places to submit your poetry, grants and awards, MFA programs, writers’ retreats, and more.
 
The Submission Grinder
Free to join/use. List of magazines, anthologies and contests.
 
Verse-Virtual
Free to use. A place to get poems published, list achievements and discuss poetry.

* * * * *

A final note: Paul Valery said, "A poem is never finished, only abandoned."

And please enjoy these documentaries/lectures on Walt Whitman, shared by a member of The Poets' Salon:

​Harold Bloom Lecture on Walt Whitman
In Search of Walt Whitman, Part One: The Early Years (1819-1860)
In Search of Walt Whitman, Part Two: The Civil War and Beyond (1861-1892)

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

March 13 @ 4pm (Sunday) – Poetry Rocks, a quarterly series entering its sixth year, will have an in-person, Irish-themed reading at Arts Center East, 709 Hartford Turnpike in Vernon. The reading will feature Nancy Kerrigan, author of the full-length poetry book, Lucky Enough: A Journey. Samara Mercado and Natalie Tolman, seniors in the award-winning Rockville High School Creative Writing Program, will read as well. An open mic will follow the featured readers. Suggested donation $5. For more information, please contact pegideitzshea@aol.com or www.artscentereast.org. Mask required!
 
March 31 @ 6pm (Thursday) & April 5 @ 6pm (Tuesday) – The UConn Wallace Stevens Poetry Reading with D.A. Powell will be held online via Zoom. Free to attend. Check page for Zoom link.
 
April 5 @ 6:30-8pm (Tuesday) - The co-founders of Capital Classics Theatre Company, Geoffrey and Laura Sheehan, will perform Shakespeare live on Zoom. They will illustrate how Shakespeare uses poetry to drive the action of the play. Participants will also learn how music is used in a similar fashion by witnessing the actual process of a song composed on the fly by Composer Jaeme Brennan McDonald with Geoff’s direction. Free to attend; registration required.
 
April 20 @ 6:30pm (Wednesday) - Yawp! Writer’s Series: “Adopted Korean-American Poets: A Poetry Reading and Panel Discussion” featuring Lee Herrick, Jennifer Kwon Dobbs, Julayne Lee. This online poetry reading/panel discussion is presented in conjunction with QU’s celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. These events are free and open to the public. Zoom link HERE. Password: yawp
 
April 23 @ 2-4:30pm (Saturday) – In celebration of National Poetry Month and the decline of COVID, the Poets' Salon is holding a special indoor event at the Fairfield Public Library. It will also be streamed live online via Zoom. Led by Fairfield writers Edward Ahern and Alison McBain, we'll welcome five wonderful guest poets from Fairfield County, who will read some of their latest poems and answer questions about the process of writing and publishing poetry. There will also be an open mic and special giveaways. If attending in person, we’ll be following the library’s COVID policy, which currently requires masks for all indoor events. Free to attend.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: THE POET
Deadline: March 31, 2022
Submit up to 2 pieces at a time. Contribute to their next special collection: POETRY FOR UKRAINE. Poetry in support of Ukraine, from poets around the world. All profits from this publication will go to the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund. No fee; no payment. Contributors will receive a PDF copy of the anthology.
 
Publisher: Circumference Magazine
Deadline: April 1, 2022
Send up to 3 poems to poetryinstitute@gmail.com. Write “Circumference Submission” in the Subject Line. Please include a brief bio of not more than 50 words. The poems and bio should be submitted together in a single Word Doc attachment. Besides poetry, we will publish a limited amount of photography or other visual art. And we may also consider publishing links to video or audio poetry and art. For artwork, submit as a Word Doc or a JPEG. In the text of your email, tell them that you are the sole author of your poems and that you own the rights to the poems, and that you give Circumference the right to publish the poems.
 
Publisher: Gwenn A. Nusbaum / WWBA “Poets To Come” Scholarship Award
Deadline: April 4, 2022
Applications are sought from those poets at the beginning of their careers, ages 25-35 years. This scholarship of $1500 aims to encourage and assist an emerging poet in their creative poetry writing endeavors. Their emerging poetry career should demonstrate a passion for poetry, an awareness of the power of the poem, an originality of perspective and skillful use of expressive language. No fee to apply. Submit a cover letter, resume, 10 poem sample or 1 chapbook.
 
Publisher: Masks Literary Magazine
Deadline: April 15, 2022
They are open to all forms of prose, poetry, and visual arts. Submit up to 3 poems of no more than 1 page long/about 36 lines each. All submissions are considered for their annual poetry award in addition to publishing. They’re passionate about publishing new writers, new artists, and new perspectives. No fee to submit. Simultaneous submissions okay. Poets will receive $20 per published poem.
 
Publisher: Connecticut River Review
Deadline: April 15, 2022
Send up to 3 poems of no more than 4 pages total. Simultaneous submissions okay. No fee, although accept donations. Payment is 1 copy of the journal in which your work is published.
 
Publisher: Leslie McGrath Poetry Prize (Helix Literary Magazine)
Deadline: April 15, 2022
Submit one poem of any length or style. Reading fee of $10. First place will receive $1000 and one finalist will receive $100.
 
Publisher: CT Book Awards
Deadline: May 2, 2022
The Connecticut Book Awards recognize the best books either about Connecticut or by authors and illustrators from Connecticut that were published in 2020. Categories include: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Books for Young Readers. Awards also include the Bruce Fraser “Spirit of Connecticut” Award. This special award is in memory of longtime Connecticut Humanities director Bruce Fraser and celebrates Connecticut’s sense of place. Entry fee of $50.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

February 16 @ 7pm (Wednesday) – QU Creative Writing presents Yawp! – an online writing series that is free and open to the public. Featuring poet Ross Gay. Zoom password: yawp
 
February 17 @ 7-8:30pm (Thursday) – The Ridgefield Library presents “An Evening of Rap, Hip-Hip & Poetry.” An in-person, family-friendly celebration at the library in the Main Program Room, 472 Main Street in Ridgefield. 3 poets laureate and the city of Hartford troubadour: Frederick-Douglass Knowles II (Hartford), Ryan Parker (Manchester), Michael “Chief” Peterson (New Britain), and Khaiim “RapOet” Kelly. Hosted by Ridgefield poet laureate Barb Jennes. Free to attend; registration required.
 
February 17 @ 7-8:15pm (Thursday) – The Connecticut Poetry Society is hosting “The Praxis of Poetry” with David Cundy, an online talk about how the fonts and formats you use in your poetry can make your work more accessible and artistic to readers. Free to attend. Zoom password: 200909.

February 20 @ 3-5:30pm, 5:30-8:30pm (Sunday) – City Lights Gallery hosts “Absorption and Reflection,” featuring artist and guest curator Larry Morse presenting a 3-person exhibit with 2 friends, old and new, Adger Cowans and Iyaba Ibo Mandingo. Artists' reception at City Lights 3-5:30pm followed by poetry reading at the Bijou Theatre, 5:30-8:30 pm. Artist/poet Iyaba Ibo Mandingo will present some of his original poems and short stories. Painter Larry Morse will recite excerpts from Shakespeare to Langston Hughes. Other guest poets to be announced. Admission is free to both events. Face masks are required.

March 4 @ 2-4pm (Friday) – Poetry Lit! presents Eleni Cay and Jimmy Pappas in an online reading, followed by a short Q&A plus an open mic. Free to attend; registration required.
 
March 5 @ 4pm (Saturday) – The Connecticut Poetry Society is hosting conneCTions, an online reading and workshop series, bringing together Brian Komei Dempster and Jennifer Franklin for a reading. Free to attend; registration required. Zoom HERE.
 
March 11 @ 5:30-7:30pm (Friday) – The Hartford Public Library presents Words in Clay, Words on Paper, located at 500 Main Street in Hartford. This in-person opening reception will combine the sculptural clay works of Michelle Cotugno with poetry broadsides of New England poets organized by James Finnegan. The event will be open through April 24th and will include a poetry reading by the featured poets on Saturday, April 9th at 2pm. All events are free to attend.
 
April 23 @ 2-4pm (Saturday) – In celebration of National Poetry Month, the Poets Salon will host an in-person and online poetry reading and mini-workshop at the Fairfield Public Library at 1080 Old Post Road. A select group of poets will do a reading, then we’ll have a short discussion of poetic forms, local poetry groups, and places to read and submit poetry. Followed by an open mic where poets can read 1 poem. Free to attend.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: SNACK
Deadline: Not listed; submission call posted January 31, 2022
A Scottish magazine that is now open for submissions of poetry and flash fiction to appear in their monthly “Words” writing showcase. Payment of £25 for any work published. Work must be no longer than 400 words. Send entries to words@snackmag.co.uk.
 
Publisher: Goatshed Press
Deadline: No deadline listed
New publisher looking for poetry that is bold and exciting. No fee to submit; pay £25 for published poems.

#GWstorieseverywhere Contest
Deadline: Every month
Each month they invite you to post a story on Twitter using #GWstorieseverywhere for a chance to win a free class. Your story must be no longer than 25 words, with a max of 280 characters, including spaces and the hashtag #GWstorieseverywhere. Your stories (which can be true or made up) will be inspired by what you see, know, or do, and they should relate in some way to these monthly "themes": January: So delicious, February: Freezeout, March: Hidden treasure, April: Outsider, May: Perfection.
Publisher: The Braag.
Deadline: February 28, 2022
The cause of Roman poet Ovid’s exile was “carmen et error”, a poem and a mistake. They want your poems and your mistakes. Weird, wild poems. Anything speculative, daring, or just plain odd. Poems up to 40 lines long; submit up to 2 pieces. Simultaneous submissions okay. No reading fee; no payment.
 
Publisher: Saint Paul Almanac
Deadline: February 28, 2022
For their Break Through Writing Contest, you can submit 1-3 poems of any length. Prefer formal poems, although free verse is okay. Free to submit; prizes include publication and cash awards provided by sponsors.
 
Publisher: Paradox Ghost Press
Deadline: March 1, 2022
Looking for poetry that is uncanny or horror. Free to submit; payment of $15 CAD per published poem. Multiple submissions okay; simultaneous submissions not. Max word count for poetry is 1,500 words.
 
Publisher: Bethlehem Writers Roundtable
Deadline: March 1, 2022
The theme is “Best Served Cold.” Submit 1 poem at a time; if rejected, can submit a new poem. Free to submit; payment is $5 per poem. Mentioned on website: earlier submission greatly improves the chance of publication.
 
Publisher: Lunette Review
Deadline: March 6, 2022
Submit up to 5 poems, each no more than 100 lines. Previously published poems okay, simultaneous submissions okay. Free to submit; no payment.
 
Publisher: Here: a poetry journal
Deadline: March 15, 2022
To mark its fifth anniversary, Here: a poetry journal will publish a special issue featuring poems that explore issues of racial equity, social justice, and environmental justice. All writers are welcome and BIPOC and LGBTQI+ writers are especially encouraged to submit. Payment is two copies of the journal. A Zoom reading of the selected poets is expected in either April or May. Submit up to 5 poems. No reading fee.
 
CT State Poet Laureate
Deadline for nomination: March 22, 2022
Nominations for the next poet laureate for Connecticut are closing soon.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

​January 11 @ 7pm (Tuesday) – Riverwood Poetry Series @ Real Art Ways will host three of Connecticut’s Asian American poets, Aaron Caycedo-Kimura, Srini Mandavilli, and Debora Kuan, as they read from their current and forthcoming books of poetry. The readings on Zoom will be followed by discussion and a time for questions and answers. Registration is required, but the event is free of charge and open to everyone. An open mic will follow. One or two poems may be read. Register for the Zoom here, and register for the open mic at RiverwoodPoetry@yahoo.com.
 
January 15 @ 5pm (Saturday) – Lit Balm: An Interactive Livestream Reading Series, hosted by Marc Vincenz, Cassandra Atherton and Jonathan Penton. The event this month is a special feature on the life and work of Michael Anania, and will feature Robert Archambeau, Reginald Gibbons, Nathaniel MacKay, John Mathias, CS Gyscome, Jeffrey Allen, Lea Graham, and Mary Biddinger.
 
January 26 @ 6pm (Wednesday) – Ann Cefola is guest hosting John McMullen’s monthly Zoom poetry workshop sponsored by the John C Hart Memorial Library. John facilitated a delightful conversation between NEA recipient Kerrin McCadden and Ann Cefola a while back. While McCadden is reading at the Hudson Valley Writers Center the same evening, you can stop by the workshop first.
Zoom link
 
January 26 @ 7-8:30pm – Hudson Valley Writers Center presents: An Evening with Kerrin McCadden, Angela Narciso Torres and Jennifer Sperry Steinorth (via Zoom). 3 award-winning poets read from their collections. Event is free, although donations are welcome.
 
February 4 @ 2pm (Friday) – Poetry Lit! featuring John Bolland and Mandy Haggith. Poetry Lit! features international poets and readers. There will be an open mic following featured poets. Free to attend online, but registration required for the Zoom link.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Magma 2021/22 Poetry Competition
Deadline: January 14, 2022
Two competitions open to submissions of multiple poems, one up to 10 lines (Editors’ Prize), and one 11-50 lines (Judge’s Prize). First prize for the Judge’s and Editors’ Prize is £1000, second prize £300 and third prize £150. The six prize-winning poems will be published in Magma and there will also be 5 special mentions for the Judge’s Prize and for the Editors’ Prize. Winning and commended poets will be invited to read their poems at a Magma Competition Event in Spring 2022. The entry fees are £5 for the first poem, £4 for the second and £3.50 for the third and each subsequent poem. Magma magazine subscribers benefit from reduced fees.
 
Publisher: 7th Annual Stephen A. DiBiase Poetry Contest
Deadline: January 15, 2021
There is a one poem limit. The poem must be in English. Otherwise, there are no limitations or restrictions. They welcome submissions from all ages and all countries. $500 for first place, $400 for second, $300 for third, $200 for fourth and additional cash awards for honorable mentions. No entry fee.
 
Publisher: OpenDoor Magazine
Deadline: January 15, 2022 (theme: adoration), February 15, 2022 (theme: footsteps)
Submit as many poems as you’d like per theme per issue. Must sign up to their (free) subscription service in order to submit to their magazine. Might only respond if accepted.
 
Publisher: The Nutmeg Poetry Award
Deadline: January 31, 2022
Run by the Connecticut Poetry Society, a contest open only to Connecticut poets. Submit up to 3 unpublished poems up to 80 lines in length per poem. Blind read. Simultaneous submissions okay. No entry fee for CPS members, $10 for non-members. 1st prize: $200, 2nd prize: $100, 3rd prize: $50.
 
Publisher: The Big Moose Prize by Black Lawrence Press
Deadline: January 31, 2022
The Big Moose Prize is for an unpublished novel. The prize is open to new, emerging, and established writers. The winner of this contest will receive book publication, a $1,000 cash award, and ten copies of the book. Prizes will be awarded on publication. The Big Moose Prize is open to traditional novels as well as novels-in-stories, novels-in-poems, and other hybrid forms that contain within them the spirit of a novel. Entry fee of $27. Blind read. 90-1000 pages in length.
 
Publisher: Sentinel Literary Quarterly Poetry Competition
Deadline: January 31, 2022
This competition is for original, previously unpublished poems in English language, on any subject, in any style up to 50 lines long. You may also enter a visual poem if the image will fit into a single page. Poems posted on members-only non-public groups for review/critique as part of the creative process are not deemed to have been previously published. Poets of all ages, gender or nationality living in any part of the world are eligible to enter. Prizes: £250 (1st), £125 (2nd), £75 (3rd), £30 x 3 (High Commendation), £20 x 3 (Commendation), £10 x 3 (Special Mentions). Fees: £5/1, £8/2, £10/3, £12/4, £14/5, £16/7, £22/10). All placed poems will receive first publication in Sentinel Literary Quarterly Magazine (Online and Print)
 
Publisher: Kent & Sussex Poetry Society Open Poetry Competition, 2022
Deadline: January 31, 2022
Submit 1 or more poems of no longer than 40 lines. Blind read. Entry fee: £5 per poem or £4 each for 3 or more poems. As in previous years, we offer seven prizes: 1st Prize: £1000,  2nd Prize: £300, 3rd Prize: £100, 4th Prize: 4 x £50. Winners will be published and also invited to read their poems at the poetry meeting in April.
 
Publisher: Heartland Society of Women Writers
Deadline: February 1, 2022
They consider work from all who identify as women, with bonus points for writers who have a connection to the Heartland. Send 1 poem of no more than 50 lines. Simultaneous submissions okay. No payment, no submission fee.
 
Publisher: Barely South Review
Deadline: February 1, 2022
Submit up to 5 poems, each poem separately – each poem will be considered individually. Simultaneous submissions okay. No payment, no fee.
 
Publisher: The Village of Great Neck Plaza 12th Annual poetry Contest
Deadline: February 1, 2022 (postmarked)
Open to residents from Long Island, all boroughs of NYC, plus NJ and CT. Entries may be on any subject, in any style, must have a title, and must not exceed more than 30 lines per poem. Send 2 copies of each poem on 8½ x 11 papers, one poem per page, with name, address, and phone number at the bottom of one copy only. A cover sheet listing the poet's name, address, phone number and email address, and title of each poem, must be included as well. Applicants may send up to 3 unpublished poems, along with a $15 entry fee payable by check or money order to “Long Island Traditions.” Mail submissions to: Village Hall, 2 Gussack Plaza, P.O. Box 440, Great Neck, NY 11022-0440 with "Poetry Contest" indicated on the left front of envelope. An Awards Reading Day will take place on Zoom on Sunday, April 3rd at 12pm. 1st prize: $150 + 20-minute reading at Awards Reading Day, 2nd prize: $75 & 10 minutes, 3rd prize: $50 & 5 minutes, & 2 Honorable Mentions will be invited to read their winning poems.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

December 11 @ 2-3pm (Saturday, today) – Asian American Poets and Community Dialogue with Srinivas Mandavilli, author of Gods In The Foyer, a collection of poems, and his work has appeared in CT River Review, Caduceus, Long River Run, Theodate, JAMA, Freshwater, Drunken Boat, and SN Review. Free to attend, but registration required.
 
December 12 @ 2-3:30pm (Sunday) – The International Women’s Writing Guild presents All Voices Open Mic with featured poet Jerrice Baptiste. Jerrice J. Baptiste is a native of Haiti, and has published eight books, and her poetry has also been published in the Grammy Award-winning album Many Hands Family Music for Haiti. Free to attend online, but registration required, both for listening to the featured guest and/or for the open mic afterwards.
 
December 14 @ 7pm (Tuesday) - Riverwood Poetry Series @ Real Art Ways will host a reading by Jennifer Jean from her poetry collection Object Lesson, which explores the commercial sex trade of human trafficking, stripping, porn, and other methods of exploitation. A Q&A will follow, as well as an open mic. Free to attend online, but registration required.
 
December 15 @ 7:15-9:15pm (Wednesday) – The Chicago Poetry Center presents Blue Hour, a free monthly online reading series and generative writing workshop featuring Elana Bell and Rich Villar, facilitated by Marty McConnell. Reading from 7:15-8:15pm, workshop from 8:15-9:15pm. Workshop will include discussion and prompt writing. Free to attend online, but registration required.
 
December 16 @ 7-8pm (Thursday) – The Art of Poetry Webcast with James Morehead, poet laureate of Dublin, CA. Free to attend, registration required. Morehead’s poem “tethered” was transformed into an award-winning hand drawn animated short film. Free to attend online, but registration required.

December 16 @ 7-9:30pm (Thursday) – Wintonbury Poetry Series presents “Two Poet Laureates” – Barb Jennes and Rhonda Ward, presented by Tom Nicotera. Open mic follows the readings by the featured poets. Free to attend online, registration required.
 
January 7 @ 2-4pm (Friday) – Poetry Lit! featuring Claudia Toutoungi and David Bleiman. Poetry Lit! features international poets and readers. There will be an open mic following featured poets. Free to attend online, but registration required.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: table//FEAST Literary Magazine
Deadline: December 15, 2021
Running a special contest called “sweettooth/HONEY” for micro poems. Sub up to 3 micro poems of any theme. Simultaneous submissions okay. Free to enter, $40 prize for winner.
 
Publisher: Judith Wright Poetry Prize
Deadline: December 20, 2021
Established in 2007 and supported by the Malcolm Robertson Foundation, the Overland Judith Wright Poetry Prize for New and Emerging Poets seeks outstanding poetry by writers who have published no more than one collection of poems under their own name (i.e. writers who’ve had zero collections published, or one solo collection published). It remains one of the richest prizes for emerging poets, and is open to poets anywhere in the world. The major prize is $6000, with a second prize of $2000 and a third prize of $1000. All three winners will be published in Overland’s Autumn 2022 issue. Entry fee: $12 for subscribers and $20 for non-subscribers.
 
Publisher: Many Nice Donkeys
Deadline: December 31, 2021
Send up to 5 poems of no more than 8 pages total. Blind read, simultaneous submissions welcome. No reading fee, no payment.
 
Publisher: Society of Classical Poets 2022 Poetry Competition
Deadline: December 31, 2021
Submit 1-3 poems on any topic, with all poems together being 108 lines or less. Previously published poems okay, as long as they were published in 2021. Rhyme and other traditional techniques are encouraged, but not required. Simultaneous submissions okay. Submission fee: $20. First prize: $2k plus publication. Also includes a $200 high school prize and $100 translation prize.
 
Publisher: Curious Curls Publishing
Deadline: No deadline
They accept manuscripts for all creative works, but are most interested in full-length fiction and poetry projects.  Novels, collections, and chapbooks are some of the most common submissions. Minimum length 40 pages. Simultaneous submissions okay. No fee to submit, unspecified payment of a “small base award and fair percentage of sales.”
 
Publisher: Bullshit Lit!
Deadline: No deadline
They want to see the work you haven't sent to other lit mags because you know it's just not working. Your shitty prose, messed-up line breaks, abandoned sketches, nonsensical plots, and so on. Everybody else wants your best—they want your worst. They especially like it when shit gets weird. Published twice a week. No reading fee, no payment.