UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

January 10 (Saturday, today) @3pm EST – An online poetry reading with Rae Armantrout, Mary Keating, Susan Michele Coronel, Margo Taft Stever. Free to attend; register for the Zoom link.
 
January 11 (Sunday) @ 2pm-3:30pm EST – Poetry Reading & Book Talk featuring Susan Michele Coronel and Angela Siew, two voices whose work illuminates the complexities of identity and lineage. The readings and Q&A will be held at Possible Futures Books at 318 Edgewood Avenue in New Haven, CT. Free to attend.
 
January 13 (Tuesday) @ 6:30pm EST – Poetry reading the second Tuesday of every month at Black Rock Books at 3030 Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport, CT, with our very own Poets’ Salon Edward Ahern reading his poetry, as well as Janet Krauss and other great local poets. Free to attend; $5 suggested donation at the door. RSVP requested.
 
January 14 (Wednesday) @ 6pm-7:30pm EST – Woodbury Public Library presents Poetry Open Mic Night. Join host Katie Baker, Poet Laureate of Woodbury, to share some poetry in front of a supportive audience! Or just pop in and listen. The (optional) poetry theme is “transformation.” Free and open to all. Located at the library, 269 Main Street South, in Woodbury, CT.
 
January 17 (Saturday) @ 2pm EST – The monthly CT Poetry Society Workshop, hosted by our very own Ed Ahern, which takes place on the 3rd Saturday of the month at the Wilton Public Library in the Rimer Room, located at 137 Old Ridgefield Road in Wilton, CT. Bring a poem to share with the group for critique. Free to attend; registration encouraged.
 
January 28 (Wednesday) @ 10:30am-12pm EST – An in-person poetry group hosted by Christine Beck, who will present a poem by a well-known poet, invite people to comment on it, and then offer a short writing exercise. This first meeting will feature poet Mary Oliver. Located at the Avon Free Public Library at 281 Country Club Road in Avon, CT. Free to attend; registration recommended.
 
January 31 (Saturday) @ 10:30am-11:30am EST – “For Love of Birds” Poetry reading with Poet Laureate Katie Baker, who has invited local poets to read original and classic poems on birds in the library gallery, located at 269 Main Street South, in Woodbury, CT. Coffee/tea provided; free to attend.
 
February 4 (Wednesday) @ 7pm-8:15pm EST – Poems from CT's Four Corners presents an online live reading hosted by Barb Jennes and the Ridgefield Library, featuring several CT poets for the month of February. Free to attend; registration required to receive the Zoom link. Barb Jennes is also always looking for more CT poets to read—if you’re interested, reach out to her at [email protected].

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Book Worms Zine: Apocalyptic Horror
Deadline: January 10, 2026 (today)
They’re looking for stories and poetry that dive into nuclear winters, climate catastrophes, algorithmic uprisings, techno-anarchy, or whatever fresh brand of apocalypse your twisted imagination can conjure. Send a poem of up to 20 lines. No reading fee; payment of $25 per published poem.
 
Publisher: The Orange & Bee
Deadline: January 14, 2026 (Australian time)
They want poetry and hybrid works “that engage in a significant way with the long history of fairy tales.” They welcome all styles of poetry, including form, free verse, and experimental. Send one poem at a time; they’re open to all lengths, but tend to most often publish poems of 50 lines or less. Payment of $50 US per published poem.
 
Publisher: Southword
Deadline: January 31, 2026 (or until full)
A print literary journal. You can submit up to 4 poems at a time. Sim subs ok. Pay: €50 per poem.
 
Publisher: The Nutmeg Poetry Award
Deadline: January 31, 2026
Open to Connecticut poets only and sponsored by the Connecticut Poetry Society. Submit up to three previously unpublished poems, in one document, no more than one poem per page; 80-line limit. CPS members may enter with no fee; $10 fee for non-members. Prizes: 1st $200; 2nd $100; 3rd $50. Blind read.
 
Publisher: Slush
Deadline: February 1, 2026
They are reading fiction submissions for their first issue; they are looking for prose poems and other hybrids that play with form to split and skew expectations. Submit up to 3 poems at a time. Sim subs ok. No fee to submit; poets will be paid $100 AUD.
 
Publisher: Vast Chasm Magazine
Deadline: No deadline
They publish “bold work that explores the expansive human experience.” Sub one poem at a time. No reading fee; payment of $50 per published piece.

We have a sad announcement to make. Last month, we lost a longtime Poets' Salon member, Marla Sterling. She was an amazing poet, but more than that, she was a wonderful person who brightened all of our lives with her humor and grace. She will be deeply missed. In honor of her, we invite all the members of The Poets' Salon to write a poem about something or someone meaningful to you, and we invite you to share it with the group at our next meeting in January 2026.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

December 14 (Sunday) @ 3pm-4:30pm EST – A generative poetry session guided by poet Victoria Nordlund. Welcoming writers of all levels, the workshop promises an enjoyable exploration of Ekphrasis poetry, weaving words and imagery to articulate emotional experiences and subject matter inspired by the objects and art in Mark Twain House, located at 351 Farmington Avenue in Hartford, CT. Tickets are $40 per person.
 
December 17 (Wednesday) @ 2pm EST – Based in the UK, AccessAbility Arts Presents Spoken Word special guest Lee McShane, neurodivergent actor, filmmaker, and published writer and poet. There will also be an open mic signup during the event.
 
December 18 (Thursday) @ 7pm-9pm EST - Best Video Film & Cultural Center presents The Sleeping Giant Reading Series with poet Antoinette Brim-Bell and author Leslie Connor. Curated by local writers, the Sleeping Giant Reading Series happens every third Thursday. Free to attend at 1842 Whitney Avenue in Hamden, CT; donations at the door for our guest readers are always appreciated.
 
December 18 (Thursday) @ 8pm EST – Based in New York City, the Online Open Mic hosted by Elemen2al is held every Thursday night. Free to attend; donations welcome. 20 spots available for reading, which will open for signup 24 hours before the event.
 
December 30 (Tuesday) @ 3pm-4:30pm EST – Plant Your Grief: An Open Mic For All Who Have Loved And Lost is an online gathering for poets and writers to share their losses. This is event is free, however there will be the option on the night, to donate to a very special charity doing incredible work to support mourners, the bereaved and those of us struggling with grief.
 
December 31 (Wednesday) @ 7pm EST – Happy New Year's Poetry & Open Mic is holding a virtual evening filled with poetry and creative performances. Share your own holiday-themed poetry or any piece that warms your heart this season. Whether you're a seasoned performer or a first-timer, this holiday edition promises a welcoming audience and a fun atmosphere. 
 
January 6 (Tuesday) @ 8pm EST – Speaking Crow is Winnipeg’s longest-running poetry open mic, and welcomes poets of all stripes to read at their online event in January.
 
January 7 (Wednesday) @ 7pm-8:15pm EST – Poets from CT's Four Corners, an online live reading hosted by Barb Jennes and the Ridgefield Library, includes one of our own: Mary Keating. Free to attend; registration required to receive the Zoom link.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Nightfall Poetry Anthology
Deadline: December 15, 2025
Sub up to 3 poems on the theme of “nighttime.” No reading fee; payment of $50 per poem.
 
Publisher: The Deadlands
Deadline: December 20, 2025
Theme: death and everything related. Submit up to 3 poems at a time. No length limit, no reading fee. Payment of $50 per poem upon publication.

Publisher: The Ex-Puritan
Deadline: December 25, 2025
Publishes experimental/hybrid work, poetry, and translations; they accept a limited number of fee-free submissions every month. Sim subs ok. Payment of $50 CAN per poem.
 
Publisher: Livina Press Magazine
Deadline: December 30, 2025
Theme: Fairytales, Myths, and Legends. Can submit multiple poems (no limit is specified). Reprints ok. No reading fee; no payment. Sim subs ok.
 
Publisher: Defenestration.net Lengthy Poem Contest
Deadline: January 1, 2026
Submit 1 poem of at least 120 lines. No prose poems. No fee; $300 awarded to the winner, with 3 finalists published on their website.
 
Publisher: The Paris Review
Deadline: January 31, 2026 or until full
Sub up to 6 poems at a time. Sim subs ok. Payment of $10 per line, minimum $300 per poem.
 
Publisher: Lamp Lit
Deadline: Not specified
Send 3-5 poems per submission. Sim sub ok. Free to sub; no payment for publication.
 
Publisher: Lotus Eater Literary Magazine
Deadline: None
Send 3-6 poems in any format (including prose poems) per submission. No reading fee; no payment.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

November 11 (Tuesday) @ 6:30pm EST – Poetry reading the second Tuesday of every month at Black Rock Books at 3030 Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport, CT, with our very own Poets’ Salon Edward Ahern and Vincent Convertito reading their poetry, as well as Janet Krauss and other great local poets. Free to attend; $5 suggested donation at the door. RSVP requested.
 
November 15 (Saturday) @ 2pm EST – The monthly CT Poetry Society Workshop, hosted by our very own Ed Ahern, which takes place on the 3rd Saturday of the month at the Wilton Public Library in the Rimer Room, located at 137 Old Ridgefield Road in Wilton, CT. Bring a poem to share with the group for critique. Free to attend; registration required.
 
November 19 (Wednesday) @ 7pm EST – Poets on Poetry (PoP) and the CT Poetry Society present the online workshop “After the Line Break: Hybrids & Sequences.” In this workshop, Joan Houlihan will discuss poetic line units to lyric blocks to prose vignettes and more. Brief readings will be followed by discussion with the audience. Zoom Registration link.
 
November 9 (Sunday) @ 2pm EST – Prickly Pear Open Mic is an online event every 2nd Sunday of the month. Open to all, but priority will be given to those with a disability and/or those who wish to share words about disability. Free to attend; donations welcome.
 
November 13 (Thursday) @ 7:30pm-9pm EST - Poetry for Your Soul Virtual Open Mic: Between the Leaves, hosted by FreeleSpoken, is a welcoming event where you can share your poetry, connect with others, or simply sit back and enjoy the rhythm and power of the words. Free to attend; registration required to receive the Zoom link.
 
November 9, 16, 23, etc. (Sundays) @ 7:30pm-9:30pm EST – Java Speaks Virtual Open Mic is a weekly writing workshop led by the incredible Mr. Funn and Theresa Davis. The workshop is from 7:30pm-8pm with the open mic following. Free to attend; suggested donation of $5 to help support the event. Registration required to receive the Zoom link.
 
December 3 (Wednesday) @ 7pm-8:15pm EST – Poems from CT's Four Corners and Ridgefield Library presents an online reading of five diverse and engaging Connecticut poets, including the Poets’ Salon’s own Mary Keating. Free to attend; registration required for the Zoom link.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: The Academy of American Poets: Treehouse Climate Action Poem Prize
Deadline: November 15, 2025
This is an opportunity for US poets (resident or citizen). The Treehouse Climate Action Poem Prize for “exceptional poems that help make real for readers the gravity of the vulnerable state of our environment at present.” Free to submit; prizes of $1,000; $750; $500; $250. Blind read. They also accept spoken word poems sent in as videos/audio files.
 
Publisher: Channel Magazine
Deadline: November 20, 2025
An Ireland-based magazine, they are looking for work that draws on an aspect of nature as setting, image or metaphor. Pay: €35 per printed page.
 
Publisher: The Fiddlehead
Deadline: November 30, 2025
This well-regarded Canadian magazine is reading for a themed call, Disability: The Revolution. For this call, they want submissions from disabled writers only on the theme of revolution. Your submission should be no more than 6 poems and no more than 12 pages in total. No fee to submit; payment of $65 CAN per page.
 
Publisher: Stygian Zine
Deadline: November 30, 2025
Theme: Love lies dying. No reading fee; payment of $20 CAD. Written works must be 2,500 words or below. Reprints accepted.
 
Publisher: Grayson Books
Deadline: November 30, 2025
Seeking submissions for an anthology themed around the state of Connecticut. Poems can be about Connecticut people, places, historical events, natural resources, landmarks, etc. Poets may submit up to four poems. They ask authors to contribute toward costs of publication; authors receive copies of the anthology as well as royalties.
 
Publisher: Barbara
Deadline: Unspecified
Seeking submissions for their 2nd issue, a one-page print broadside produced in Scotland. Poets may submit up to four poems, 14 lines or fewer each. Barbara accepts all forms and styles of poetry: “from haiku to experimental freeform”. They are particularly interested in, though not limited to, publishing those who consider themselves outsiders. Authors published in Barbara will receive a free digital copy of the broadside.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

October 11 (Saturday, TODAY) @ 2pm-5pm EST – Drop the Mic Night hosted by Cocreate Stamford (47 John Street in Stamford, CT). This highly anticipated event will bring together 10 speakers, including the Poets’ Salon own Mary Keating, each stepping onto the stage to share their unique, heartfelt take on the theme of “community.” Expect an evening full of laughter, inspiration, and maybe even a few happy tears as these storytellers drop the mic with performances that will stay with you long after the night is over. Tickets are $35-$45.
 
October 13 (Monday) @ 5pm EST – James Merrill House presents the special lecture: Beginning to Wonder: Forms of Astonishment in American Poetry with Matthews Bevis. He’s based at Oxford’s English Faculty, where he directs Poetry at Keble. RSVP encouraged but not required. Located at Pine Point School Geise Library, 89 Barnes Road in Stonington, CT.
 
October 15 (Wednesday) @ 6pm EST – The WordHouse Reading Series presents Ciaran Berry and Srinivas Mandavilli, preceded by an open mic. Located at the Noah Webster House, 227 South Main Street in West Hartford, CT. Free to attend; donations appreciated.
 
October 16 (Thursday) @ 7pm-9:30pm EST – The Wintonbury Poetry Series presents Luisa Caycedo-Kimura and Pat Mottola reading their poetry, followed by an open mic. Free to attend; RSVP required.
 
October 18 (Saturday) @ noon-5pm EST – Arts Alliance of Woodbury presents Arts Saturday, a day of performances, poetry readings, music, art, and shopping. Located in the historic Old Town Hall, 5 Mountain Road in Woodbury, CT. Free to attend.
  
October 18 (Saturday) @ 11am-5pm EST – The Connecticut Literary Festival runs from 11am to 6pm at Real Art Ways, 56 Arbor Street in Hartford, CT. Panels, readings, food trucks, interviews, music, bookfair, and more. At noon is the release of the CT LIT Anthology, which includes the Poets’ Salon very own Mary Keating and Vincent Convertito.

October 19 (Sunday) @ 6pm EST – A Showcase of Connecticut Asian American Writers: Kevin Chang Barnum, Shou Jie Eng, Angela Siew, and Nafeesa Syeed, followed by an open mic. Located at Spruce Coffee, 952 State Street, in New Haven, CT. Free to attend; sign up online to RSVP for the event and the open mic.
 
October 20 (Monday) @ 7pm EST – Poets on Poetry (PoP) and the CT Poetry Society present the online workshop “Writing Powerhouse Poems.” In this workshop, Joan Kwon Glass will demonstrate how to generate impactful, memorable poems.
Zoom Registration link
 
October 21 (Tuesday) @ 5:30pm EST – A Performance of Music & Poetry at Hartford Public Library, 500 Main Street in Hartford, CT (CCC Room). The Interiors Project is a performance of music and poetry at UConn Hartford featuring UConn Creative Writing students in collaboration with StarWound, a band from Greece. The performance is free and open to the public.
 
October 24 (Friday) @ 5:30pm-7pm – Step into the historic Mark Twain House (351 Farmington Avenue in Hartford, CT) where Poet Laureate of Glastonbury, Victoria Nordlund, will guide you in creating original poems inspired by tarot. Tickets are $75 per person; $65 for museum members, and include a tarot deck to keep and an optional free tarot/bone reading. 

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Into the Deep, Dark Woods Anthology
Deadline: October 15, 2025
Submit one poem at a time. Looking for poetry of multiple genres, including fantasy, science fiction, horror, suspense, mystery, humor, and romance. An anthology exploring the magic and mystery of the primeval wilderness, where tangled branches create a foreboding canopy. Think of the creatures that inhabit the forest and the people who stumble upon them. No sim subs.
 
Publisher: Banshee Press
Deadline: October 31, 2025
An Irish journal open to international submissions of poetry of no more than 40 lines. Submit up to 4 poems at a time. Sim subs ok. No reading fee; honorarium offered upon publication, as well as a copy of the journal.
 
Publisher: Mud Season Review
Deadline: October 31, 2025
Submit 3-5 poems of up to 10 pages at a time. Open to all forms and formats of poetry. Each poem should be able to stand on its own, but the poems in a portfolio should have a collective impact as well. They seek deeply human work that will teach something about life, but also about the craft of writing or visual art. Sim subs ok. No reading fee; $15-$50 payment upon publication. They also offer a paid ($45) feedback service if requested.
 
Publisher: Book XI: A Journal of Literary Philosophy
Deadline: December 15, 2025 or when submission cap of 200 is reached
Submit up to 5 poems at a time. Looking for poetry with philosophical themes. All submissions must include “What We Talk About When We Talk About” as part of the title for this reading period. No reading fee; payment of $50 per poem.
 
Publisher: Kismet Magazine
Deadline: Open on a rolling basis.
Kismet is a new magazine that aims to offer “a fresh perspective on spirituality, religion, and mysticism for seekers and skeptics alike.” Submit up to 5 poems – they like to publish poetry portfolios, not individual poems. They pay for publication (amount unspecified).
 
Publisher: Clarendon House
Deadline: No deadline
Ed Ahern’s personal recommendation: editor Grant Hudson creates great poetry anthologies. Maximum word count for each poem will be 500 words. No minimum. No reading fee; no payment (poets receive a free eBook copy of the anthology).

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

September 20 (Saturday) @ 2pm EST – The monthly CT Poetry Society Workshop, hosted by our very own Ed Ahern, which takes place on the 3rd Saturday of the month at the Wilton Public Library in the Rimer Room, located at 137 Old Ridgefield Road in Wilton, CT. Bring a poem to share with the group for critique. Ed will take 1 poem per session and have it posted in the lobby for everyone to read at the library. Free to attend; registration required.
 
September 25 (Thursday) @ 7pm EST – Black Rock Books presents Writing as Resistance: A Reading & Workshop Community Event. Attendees to the bookstore, located at 3030 Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport, CT, will read from several works, from Toi Dericotte’s poem “Joy is an act of resistance” to an excerpt from Jenny Boully’s “The Body: An Essay.” After a brief discussion, participants will write together with facilitator prompts. Drafts will be shared and discussed in a supportive, community-oriented space. Free to attend; $10 suggested donation at the door – all donations will go to Make the Road Connecticut (MRCT), which supports equal opportunities for all, regardless of immigration status, race, or income. RSVP requested.
 
September 26 (Friday) @ 6:30pm EST – The Mystic Café presents poet Kwame Dawes, Emmy-winning Poet Laureate of Jamaica. His poetry awards include The Forward Prize, The Hollis Summer Prize, Hurston/Wright Legacy Award and Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship. He will be reading at La Grua Center at 32 Water Street in Stonington, CT. Tickets are $20.
 
September 27 (Saturday) @ 9:30am-3:30pm EST – The Hartford Book Festival, featuring multiple authors including Frederick-Douglass Knowles II (Hartford Poet Laureate Emeritus), Lizzie Madelyn, child author Bella’Rae Knia Robinson, and more. Located at the Hartford Public Library at 500 Main Street in Hartford, CT. Live stage, open mics, roundtable discussions, and vendors. Free to attend; RSVP requested.
 
October 7 (Tuesday) @ 6:30pm EST – Poetry reading the second Tuesday of every month at Black Rock Books at 3030 Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport, CT, with our very own Poets’ Salon members Edward Ahern, Myla Mercer, Vincent Convertito reading their poetry, as well as Janet Krauss and other great local poets. Free to attend; $5 suggested donation; RSVP requested.
 
October 8 (Wednesday) @ 7pm EST – Real Art Ways presents the Riverwood Poetry Series, featuring award-winning poets Ciaran Berry and Luisa Caycedo-Kimura reading from their work. This will be followed by an open mic for the first ten poets who sign up. Food and drink available to purchase. Located at Real Art Ways, 56 Arbor Street, Harford, CT. Free to attend; registration required.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Bat City Review
Deadline: September 15, 2025
Submit 3-5 poems at a time. Sim subs ok. Blind read. Contributors receive 2 free copies of the issue in which their work appears. No reading fee; no payment.
 
Publisher: Plott Hound
Deadline: September 15, 2025
Looking for speculative fiction poems told with anthropomorphized animals as viewpoint characters and protagonists. No human viewpoints! Send 1-5 poems/up to 5 pages in a single document. Sim subs ok. Free to submit; payment of $50 per poem.
 
Publisher: Westerly
Deadline: September 17, 2025 (Australia)
Submit up to 5 poems, up to 50 lines each. Blind read. Payment of $250 AUS per poem or $300 AUS for a poetic sequence.
 
Publisher: hedgerow: a journal of small poems
Deadline: September 17, 2025
hedgerow is a short-poetry journal dedicated to publishing an eclectic mix of new & established voices across the spectrum of the short poem, with particular attention to the constantly evolving forms of English-language haiku, senryu, tanka, haiga & haibun. Submissions of prose poems, other longer poems & sequences, as well as short stories also welcome. Submit up to 10 poems at a time. Sim subs ok. Reprints ok. No reading fee; no payment.
 
Publisher: The Ex-Puritan
Deadline: September 25, 2025
This Canadian literary magazine publishes experimental/hybrid work, poetry, and poetry in translation; they accept a limited number of fee-free submissions every month, and read year-round. Sim subs ok. Payment of $50 CAN per poem.
 
Publisher: The Scribes Prize
Deadline: October 1, 2025
Short works of 90-110 words. Submission fee $5 per story; 3 max. 18 cash prizes, consisting of: $250, $125, $60 or $20. Winners published in November issue of ScribesMICRO. Each submission receives feedback from 2 judges. Reprints and simultaneous submissions welcome.
 
Publisher: Alien Buddha Press
Deadline: open
They are accepting poetry chapbooks and longer collections.
 
Publisher: Prolific Pulse Press
Deadline: open
Accepting submissions for poetry chapbooks and full poetry manuscripts. A chapbook must have at least 12 poems but may contain more poems.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

August 12 (Tuesday) @ 6:30pm EST – Poetry reading the second Tuesday of every month at Black Rock Books at 3030 Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport, CT, with our very own Poets’ Salon members Edward Ahern, Myla Mercer, and Vincent Convertito reading their poetry, as well as Janet Krauss and other great local poets. Free to attend; $5 suggested donation at the door. RSVP requested.

August 15 (Friday) @ 4pm EST – GreenStage Guilford Live Arts Festival presents readings of original poetry by three Connecticut poets: Guilford Poet Laureate Mark McGuire-Schwartz; Cheshire Poet Laureate Pat Mottola, who's also president of the Connecticut Poetry Society; and Kashawn Taylor, a formerly incarcerated writer whose latest work explores themes of freedom, justice, hope and beauty. Located at the Guilford Green in Guildford, CT, Stage 2. Free to attend the festival, running from August 10th-17th; donations welcome. Here's a full calendar of events for the festival.
 
August 16 (Saturday) @ 2pm EST – The monthly CT Poetry Society Workshop, hosted by our very own Ed Ahern, which takes place on the 3rd Saturday of the month at the Wilton Public Library in the Rimer Room, located at 137 Old Ridgefield Road in Wilton, CT. Bring a poem to share with the group for critique. Ed will take 1 poem per session and have it posted in the lobby for everyone to read at the library. Free to attend; registration required.
 
August 22 (Friday) @ 6pm-8pm EST – Live @ the Factory: Poetry Night with Luisa Caycedo-Kimura and Michael “Chief” Peterson, followed by an open mic. Located at Ball & Socket Arts, 493 West Main Street in Cheshire, CT. Free to attend; bring lawn chairs and a picnic.
 
September 6 (Saturday) @ 2pm EST - On the first Saturday of each month, People and Their Poems podcast, along with Orenaug Mountain Publishing, host an online poetry roundtable.  They feature one or two poets who read three or four poems.  Other poets share a poem.  This is a supportive environment where creativity and kindness merge in an alchemic reaction that produces hope.  All are welcome.  Email orenaugmountainpublishing.org for the Zoom link to participate in the September 6 roundtable. Check out their YouTube link for the podcast.
 
September 10 (Wednesday) @ 7pm EST – Real Art Ways presents Sean Thomas Dougherty reading from his work, winner of the Paterson Poetry Prize and the Housatonic Book Award. Open mic for the first 10 poets who sign up. Food and drink available to purchase. Located at Real Art Ways, 56 Arbor Street, Harford, CT. Free to attend; registration required.
 
September 11 (Thursday) @ 12pm-4pm – American Mural Project presents Stories of Our Working Lives: A Poetry Workshop for Seniors, led by poets Elizabeth Thomas and Steve Straight. Write poetry inspired by your own work experiences. Working individually and in a group, you’ll explore personal stories through guided writing sessions. For ages 55+, $30 to attend.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Fondation Jan Michalski Residencies for Writers
Deadline: August 27, 2025 (CET Time)
Residencies at the foot of the Jura mountains in Montricher, Switzerland. A percentage of the residencies are dedicated to nature writing. No age or nationality restrictions. Residents will receive round-trip travel, lodging, breakfast and lunch, electric bikes, and CHF 400 per week.
 
Publisher: Thinking Ink Press
Deadline: August 30, 2025
Sub up to 5 poems. Looking for short poems of either 16 lines or fewer or 30 lines or fewer. No reading fee; payment of $20 per acceptance (plus contributor’s copy). Sim subs ok.
 
Publisher: Poetry Archive Now
Deadline: August 31, 2025 (UK time)
Record yourself reading one of your poems (maximum length 2 minutes). Voice-only submissions also okay. Poems must be written during, and in response to, 2025. They can be on any theme, subject and in any style. Top 20 shortlisted poems will be featured on their website; others will be on their YouTube channel. There will be no monetary payment for these. Top prize will receive £1,000.
 
Publisher: Cosmic Chronicles Literary Prize (The SETI Institute)
Deadline: September 1, 2025
Poetry submissions up to 80 lines. Contest is open to those who haven’t published a full-length book (chapbooks ok). Poems should be on the theme of “Intelligence and Consciousness,” answering the questions of: What is the nature of consciousness? and What is the nature and evolution of intelligence? $1,000 top prize; three honorable mentions of $100 each.
 
Publisher: Phi Kappa Phi Forum
Deadline: September 2, 2025
Submit 1-3 poems of 40 lines or less each. Theme: travel by plane. No reading fee; payment of $4 per line.
               
Publisher: Twin Flame
Deadline: Not specified
Brand new magazine looking for submissions for their inaugural issue. Sub up to 3 poems, no length limit. No reading fee; no payment. Fast response time – within 2-3 days.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

July 12-13 (Saturday [today]-Sunday) @ 11am-6pm EST – The 14th Annual New York City Poetry Festival at Nolan Park on Governors Island, New York. Free to attend festival in New York City with more than 100 collectives and literary organizations bringing their voices to five outdoor stages The Brinkley, The Blackbird, The White Horse, The Beckett, and The Algonquin. Explore local art, bookmakers, music, theater, as well as poetry. Some notable poets who will be reading include Naomi Shihab Nye, Eileen Myles, Anne Waldman, Sam Sax, and Andrew Whiteman.
 
July 14 (Monday) @ 3-5pm EST - The "Poetry in the Garden" festival at Keeler Tavern Museum in Ridgefield (152 Main St.) presents a Workshop with Martin Espada. The workshop will focus on the use of poetry to empathize with, and advocate on behalf of, immigrants. National Book Award winner Espada is the author of Floaters and, most recently, A Jailbreak of Sparrows. The workshop fee is $115. Seats are limited.
 
July 14 (Monday) @ 7pm EST – Poetry in the Garden: Voices from Marginalized America welcomes two poets whose work reflects the tenuous experience of immigrants and refugees: National Book Award winner Martin Espada, an outspoken advocate of Latino rights, and Joan Kwon Glass, a diasporic Korean American poet. The evening, hosted by Keeler Tavern Museum, located at 152 Main Street in Ridgefield, CT, will open with a live performance of Brazilian jazz by Arthur Lipner and Nanny Asis. A book signing will follow. Free for all! Bring a lawn chair or blanket. In the event of inclement weather, the reading will move inside the Garden House.
 
July 19 (Saturday) @ 2pm EST – The monthly CT Poetry Society Workshop, hosted by our very own Ed Ahern, which takes place on the 3rd Saturday of the month at the Wilton Public Library in the Rimer Room, located at 137 Old Ridgefield Road in Wilton, CT. Bring a poem to share with the group for critique. Ed will take 1 poem per session and have it posted in the lobby for everyone to read at the library. Free to attend; registration required.

July 20 (Sunday) @7pm EST – Spiritual Poetry Reading & Discussion Online, which gets together in an informal gathering to read and discuss spiritual poetry and wisdom quotes, and to share thoughts, feelings and insights inspired by the readings. Free to attend; register for the Zoom link.
 
July 21 (Monday) @ 3-5pm EST - The "Poetry in the Garden" festival at Keeler Tavern Museum in Ridgefield (152 Main St.) presents a Workshop with Mark Doty. A ground-breaking LGBTQ+ poet, National Book Award winner, and Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets, Doty will encourage participants to explore the challenges and opportunities of being ourselves on the page. The workshop fee is $115. Seats are limited. 
 
July 21 (Monday) @ 7pm EST – Poetry in the Garden: Voices from Marginalized America welcomes two poets whose work explores the marginalization, expression, and resilience of LGBTQ+ Americans: Mark Doty—a National Book Award winner—and award-winning poet Trace Peterson. The winners of a poetry contest co-sponsored by Ridgefield PRIDE will also be presented. A book signing will follow. Free for all! Bring a lawn chair or blanket. In the event of inclement weather, the reading will move inside the Garden House.
 
July 24 (Thursday) @ 2-4pm EST - Poetic Edge: Picture This! An online writing workshop for all abilities led by Ashley Edge, with a theme of ekphrastic writing (poetry inspired by art). Free to attend; donations accepted. Register for Zoom link.
 
July 27 (Sunday) @ 10:30am-11:30am EST - Open Mic Poetry & Prose presented by Blue Crystal Literary Magazine. An online event hosted from the UK. Free to attend; register for the link. Sessions are recorded and posted on the magazine’s YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@Bluecrystallit).
 
July 28 (Monday) @ 3-5pm EST - The "Poetry in the Garden" festival at Keeler Tavern Museum in Ridgefield (152 Main St.) presents a Workshop with Danez Smith. A renowned spoken-word poet who was recently named one of two finalists for the Pulitzer Prize for their collection Bluff, Smith will invite participants to dive into the stream of time and create a poetry "time machine." The workshop fee is $115. Seats are limited. 
 
July 28 (Monday) @ 7pm EST – Poetry in the Garden: Voices from Marginalized America is proud to host two poets whose work stands defiant of racism, both historic and reawakened: Danez Smith —a National Book Award winner—and Mahogany L. Browne, poet-in-residence at Lincoln Center. A commissioned musical arrangement of "Declaration," a poem by U.S. Poet Laureate Emerita Tracy K. Smith, will also be performed by composer Andrew Levine, vocalist Kimberly Wilson, and others. A book signing will follow.

August 1 (Friday) @ 12-7pm – Opening reception for Mondo & More art show, featuring Luke Ryan’s artistic vision, who is a new member of the Poets’ Salon! Hosted by Urban Aftermath, which is located at 295 Hamilton Street in Albany, NY. Luke Ryan is an Albany underground legend — a visual alchemist conjuring raw pop energy, psychedelic grit, and eerie nostalgia.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Cypress Review
Deadline: July 21, 2025
Max of 5 pages total per submission (any number of poems, but must be 5 pages total or less). No reading fee; no payment. Simultaneous subs ok.
 
Publisher: Sense & Sensibility
Deadline: July 22, 2025 @ noon EST (unless filled)
Submit 3–5 haiku for "Vacation, Holiday!" Traditional and not traditional, as well as experimental forms. Haiku in English is not the same as in Japanese, and at times, might be too cumbersome and wordy to fit the 5-7-5 format. 17 syllables, BUT sometimes less is best. No reading fee; no payment.
 
Publisher: Graywolf Lab
Deadline: July 28, 2025 or when filled
Sub up to 3 poems. Theme: games. Simultaneous subs ok. Free to submit; payment of $200 per accepted poem.
 
Publisher: The Marrow
Deadline: July 31, 2025 (Australian time)
Send up to 3 poems, four pages maximum. Poems can be any length. Simultaneous subs ok. No reading fee; payment of $40 AU per acceptance.
 
Publisher: Writing Dragons Literary Journal
Deadline: August 3, 2025
Theme for submission: Out of the Haze. Maximum 35 lines per poem, any number of poems okay. Blind read. No reading fee; no payment.
 
Publisher: Big Score Lit
Deadline: August 10, 2025 or until full (already closed to prose/fiction subs)
New magazine! Submit up to 5 poems. Blind read. Free to submit; payment of $100 per accepted poem.
 
Publisher: Iterant
Deadline: Not specified
Submit 3-8 poems, 10 pages max. Blind read. Simultaneous subs ok. Free to submit; payment of $50 per poet per publication.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

June 14 (Saturday, today) @ 9pm EST – The Greater Waterbury LGBTQIA+ Pride is hosting an Open Mic Night Fundraiser featuring poet Trace Peterson as the emcee. Sign up to read either online or in person when you arrive. The venue will be Cuppa Tea Cafe, located at 102 Grand Street, Waterbury, CT. More details about the Open Mic as well as other Pride Month events can be found on the Coalition website.
 
June 16 (Monday) @ 6pm EST – Real Art Ways presents Reginald Dwayne Betts reading from and in conversation about his new collection of poetry Doggerel. Published on the twentieth anniversary of Betts’s release from prison, he is a 2021 MacArthur Fellow and also celebrated for his work as a lawyer and the founder and director of Freedom Reads, a first-of-its-kind organization that is radically transforming access to literature in prison. Located at Real Art Ways, 56 Arbor Street, Harford, CT. Free to attend; registration required.
 
June 18 (Wednesday) @ 7pm EST – Poets on Poetry presents an online talk and discussion about Rilke and the Birth of the Modern by Judith K. Liebmann, the inaugural Poet Laureate of Branford, CT. Free to attend; registration required for the Zoom link.
 
June 21 (Saturday) @ 2pm EST – The monthly CT Poetry Society Workshop, hosted by our very own Ed Ahern, which takes place on the 3rd Saturday of the month at the Wilton Public Library in the Rimer Room, located at 137 Old Ridgefield Road in Wilton, CT. Bring a poem to share with the group for critique. Free to attend; registration required.
 
July 5 (Saturday) @ 2pm EST - On the first Saturday of each month, People and Their Poems podcast, along with Orenaug Mountain Publishing, host an online poetry roundtable.  They feature one or two poets who read three or four poems.  Other poets share a poem.  This is a supportive environment where creativity and kindness merge in an alchemic reaction that produces hope.  All are welcome.  Email orenaugmountainpublishing.org for the Zoom link to participate in the July 5 roundtable. Check out their YouTube link for the podcast.

July 7 (Monday) @ 7:00-8:15pm EST - The "Poetry in the Garden" festival presents a series of FREE readings in the beautiful walled gardens of Keeler Tavern Museum in Ridgefield (152 Main St.). These themed "Voices from Marginalized America" events include poets whose work represents historically oppressed communities, including Indigenous Americans Kimberly Blaeser, Natasha Gambrell, and Denise Low​ on July 7. Bring a lawn chair or blanket. In the event of inclement weather, the reading moves indoors. Books will be available for signing. Ample parking on site.

July 9 (Wednesday) @ 5pm EST - RJ Julia’s Local and Independent Author Program brings together local authors to present their books. July's featured genre is poetry, and will include the Poets' Salon own Mary Keating! RJ Julia is located at 413 Main Street in Middletown, CT.
 
July 10 (Thursday) @ 6 p.m. – Orenaug Mountain Publishing launches Lost Love at The Hickory Stick Bookshop, located at 2 Green Hill Road, Washington Depot, CT. The poets from around the world who contributed their work to Lost Love reflect on what it means to love, to remember, to say goodbye, and to long for one more word or moment with a loved one. Several Connecticut contributors will be on hand to share their work and discuss their inspiration at the book launch.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: The Journal of Compressed Creative Arts
Deadline: June 15, 2025
They’re looking for prose poetry, as long as it is compressed in some way. Fast response time (less than a week). Free to submit; they pay writers $50 per accepted piece.
 
Publisher: The Ex-Puritan
Deadline: June 25, 2025
Send up to four poems at a time. They’re looking for poems of any length (including sequences and long poems). Simultaneous subs ok. Free to submit (donation appreciated); payment of $50 CAD per poem or $100 for multiple poems.
 
Publisher: Last Stanza Poetry Journal
Deadline: June 30, 2025
Send up to 3 poems on the theme of “conversations.” Poems can be any style; they prefer non-rhyming. A single $100 award will be given for an outstanding poem.
 
Publisher: Chestnut Review
Deadline: June 30, 2025
Submit up to 3 poems for free, 6 poems for an added fee ($5), or 3 poems with reader feedback ($15) or full editorial feedback ($59 for 3 poems, $99 for $6). Length and format are open. Payment of $120 per piece accepted.
 
Publisher: Ghost Light Lit
Deadline: June 30, 2025
Ghost Light Lit is seeking submissions for their fourth issue, themed “Myths & Monsters.” Submit up to 2 poems of any length. They hope to “publish work that is both experimental and inspiring.” No submission fee; no payment for publication.
 
Publisher: Anthology: America's Slide Toward Authoritarianism (IHRAM Press)
Deadline: July 1, 2025
Submit up to 3 poems on the theme of America’s authoritarianism. Free to submit; payment of $50 per accepted piece.
 
Publisher: Tough Poets Review
Deadline: No deadline
Send up to 5 poems, no more than 10 pages total. Sim sub ok. They provide contributor's copies and a $5 payment to writers and artists whose work is accepted.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

May 10 (Saturday, TODAY) @ 11am-5pm EST - Come join the Connecticut Book Festival with more than 40 local authors and over 50 artisans at the 27th Westville Artwalk, located at the Westville Village Historic District, 827 Whalley Ave in New Haven, CT. Our very own Mary Keating will be one of the local authors!
 
May 15 (Thursday) @ 7pm-9pm EST – The Sleeping Giant Reading Series brings writers and book lovers together in person. This month features award-winning mystery writer Karen E. Olson and poet Lloyd Schwartz, who’s an arts critic for NPR’s Fresh Air and won a Pulitzer Prize for music criticism. Readings are at 7, followed by a writers' happy hour where the audience can talk with the readers and meet one another. The series is free, but donations are accepted and books and drinks are sold. Best Video is located at 1842 Whitney Avenue in Hamden, CT.
 
May 15 (Thursday) @ 7pm-8:30pm EST – Wintonbury Poetry Workshop Alphabet Soup: Writing the Abecedarian (Virtual). Join Old Saybrook Poet Laureate Sandy Yannone online as she guides you through the crafting of one of the most fun forms in contemporary poetry, the Abecedarian. Learn how using this alphabet form can support you in unlocking narratives and lyrics you’ve longed to write. No experience necessary. Free to attend; registration required for the Zoom link.
 
May 17 (Saturday) @ 2pm EST – The monthly CT Poetry Society Workshop, hosted by our very own Ed Ahern, which takes place on the 3rd Saturday of the month at the Wilton Public Library in the Rimer Room, located at 137 Old Ridgefield Road in Wilton, CT. Bring a poem to share with the group for critique. Free to attend; registration required.
 
May 19 (Monday) @ 7pm EST – In this Poets on Poetry (PoP) online session, Annie Finch will share her tips for awakening the magic of poetry by hearing, reading, scanning, and writing in a variety of poetic meters. Bring your meter questions and lines of poetry to share for feedback. Free to attend online; registration required for the Zoom link.
 
May 22 (Thursday) @ 7pm-8:30pm – Wintonbury Poetry Workshop Everyone is Shakespeare: A Collective Sonnet Workshop (Virtual). Join Old Saybrook Poet Laureate Sandy Yannone online as we examine the sonnet form, sharing classic and contemporary examples before collectively generating the 14-end line words to write your own sonnet. Free to attend; registration required for the Zoom link.
 
May 31 (Saturday) @ 7-9pm EST – Poets at Large presents Saturday Night Poetry at The Vanilla Bean Café, 450 Deerfield Road in Pomfret, CT. Readings and open mic, featuring author, poet, and journalist Meg Smith. Admission $15, which includes a raffle. Contact Karen [email protected] to sign up for the open mic (5 minutes max).

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: The Stinging Fly
Deadline: May 15, 2025
Based in Ireland, they’re looking for poems on the theme of the climate crisis. Send up to 3 poems per submission. They have a featured poet per issue (either with a published book or working toward a collection), wherein they publish 5-6 of their poems. No fee to submit; they pay €45 per magazine page, but with a minimum payment of €70 per poem. Contributors also receive a copy of the issue where their work is published.
 
Publisher: The 11th SUSPECT Poetry Contest
Deadline: May 15, 2025
SUSPECT calls for poems that use the word “fable” or its variants in an imaginative fashion. They want fables and anti-fables, fable-adjacent poems, and fabulous conceptions and language. Submit up to 3 poems. No fee to submit; awards of $300, $200, and $100 to the top 3 winners.
 
Publisher: Changing Light Prize
Deadline: May 30, 2025
Contest for a novel-in-verse. Recommended length: 90-160 pages. No entry fee. $500 prize plus 20 copies published by Livingston Press, with a standard royalty contract.
 
Publisher: Poet Lore
Deadline: May 31, 2025
Submit up to 5 poems (10 pages max). They accept all formats of poetry. Simultaneous submissions ok. No fee to submit; payment of $50 per published poem.
 
Publisher: Broken Sleep Books
Deadline: May 31, 2025
Open for submissions of poetry collections (40+ pages). Simultaneous submissions ok. Collaborative submissions ok. Free to submit; payment of 10% royalties and 5 free author copies, with all other books at a 50% discount. In their submission guidelines, “We encourage more working-class, LGBTQ+, and POC writers to submit. Politically we are left wing, and have no interest in misogynists, racist, sexists, the alt-right, or dickheads in general.”
 
Publisher: Maria W. Faust Sonnet Contest
Deadline: June 1, 2025
Submit up to 3 sonnets per entry. $5 fee to submit (no fee for students). Blind read. Cash prizes totaling over $3,000 will be awarded in 4 categories. Winning sonnets will be published.

UPCOMING POETRY READINGS/WORKSHOPS

April 16 (Wednesday) @ 12pm-2pm EST – AuthorSpeak presents our very own Poets’ Salon member Mary Keating, who will be reading from her debut book Recalibrating Gravity. Located in the 3/4 auditorium at the Norwalk Library at 1 Belden Ave in Norwalk, CT. RSVP required, and they serve a light lunch at the event.
 
April 17 (Thursday) @ 4:30pm EST – The Allan KL. Smith Reading Series presents Pulitzer Prize and MacArthur Grant winner Jericho Brown in conversation with Professor David Sterling Brown. Located in the Washington Room in Mather Hall at Trinity College at 300 Summit Street in Hartford, CT. Free to attend; RSVP required.
 
April 17 (Thursday) @ 7pm-9pm EST – The Sleeping Giant Reading Series at Best Video in Hamden features poet Rebecca Brock and novelist Peter Trachtenberg. Readings are at 7, followed by a writers' happy hour where the audience can talk with the readers and meet one another. Best Video is located at 1842 Whitney Avenue in Hamden. Free to attend, but donations are accepted and books and drinks are sold.
 
April 19 (Saturday) @ 2pm EST – The monthly CT Poetry Society Workshop, hosted by our very own Ed Ahern, which takes place on the 3rd Saturday of the month at the Wilton Public Library in the Rimer Room, located at 137 Old Ridgefield Road in Wilton, CT. Bring a poem to share with the group for critique. Free to attend; registration required.
 
April 22 (Tuesday) @ 6pm-7:30pm EST – Poetry Now! Presents a guided reading and discussion group at the Noah Webster Library, 20 South Main Street in West Hartford, CT in the board room. Gather to read and discuss poems from contemporary writers that speak to our lives today. This class is taught by UCONN English Professor and former West Hartford Poet Laureate Julie Choffel. Free to attend; registration required.
 
April 24 (Thursday) @ 7pm EST – Poets on Poetry presents The Haiku of Santōka Taneda, an online talk and discussion led by Stamford M. Forrester. Santōka Taneda was Japan's last wandering poet and a major literary figure in the free-form or free-style haiku movement during the first half of the twentieth century. Zoom Registration link.
 
April 25 (Friday) @ 7pm-9:30pm EST – The Mystic Café presents poet Taylor Mali from the HBO series Def Poetry Jam. He will be reading at La Grua Center at 32 Water Street in Stonington, CT, along with the student poets laureate of Southeastern Connecticut and Westerly. Tickets are free for students, $20 for general admission.
 
May 3 (Saturday) @ 2pm EST – The WordHouse Reading Series presents poet Danielle Chapman and short story writer Ethan Rutherford reading from their latest work. The reading starts with an open mic and is located at the Noah Webster House at 227 South Main Street in West Hartford, CT. Free to attend.

PLACES TO SUBMIT YOUR POETRY

Publisher: Seaside Gothic
Deadline: Open April 14-20, 2025
Submit 1 poem at a time. This UK-based magazine publishes work that meets the criteria of seaside gothic literature (led by emotion and duality). Free to submit; pay: £0.01/word, sim subs ok.
 
Publisher: Rattle: Tribute to Late Bloomers
Deadline: April 15, 2025
Their Fall 2025 issue will be dedicated to poems written by "late bloomers"—those who only started publishing poetry regularly after the age of 50. Submit up to 4 poems (or pages of short poems). Free to submit; contributors in print receive $200/poem and a complimentary one-year subscription to the magazine. Online contributors receive $100/poem.
 
Publisher: Consequence Forum
Deadline: April 15, 2025
Submit up to 3 poems at a time – any type/format. They publish work that tackles the subject of war and geopolitical violence. All works will be considered for online and print. Free to submit; payment of $20/poem for print poetry, $30-50 for online poetry.
 
Publisher: Connecticut River Review
Deadline: April 15, 2025
Send up to three poems, totaling no more than four pages, on a single document, one poem / page. Sim subs ok. No submission fee, although they ask for a donation. No payment except for a copy of the journal in which your publication appears.
 
Publisher: Shenandoah Literary
Deadline: Opens April 15, 2025 (closes when they reach 500 subs)
Send up to 5 pieces, not more than 10 pages total. The theme is multilingual poetry. Free to submit; they pay for each accepted poem (rates not listed on their website).
 
Publisher: Astrolabe
Deadline: April 20, 2025
Astrolabe is looking for work about how people seek out, discover, and grasp onto connection. No lineated poetry, only prose poetry. Send up to 3 poems at a time. Sim subs to ok. Free to submit; payment of $50 upon publication.
 
Publisher: Harbor Review
Deadline: April 30, 2025
They want submissions on the (Sub)liminal theme. Submit up to 3 poems. Free to submit; payment of $10 per poem. They also offer poetry critiques for $25 (3 poems) to $99 (10 poems).
 
Publisher: Ekphrastic Review
Deadline: April 30, 2025
Submit up to 5 ekphrastic poems, which is "creative writing inspired by visual art." Wherever the art takes you is fine, whether it is "about" the art or artist, or about something else. Poetry can be any length. Sim subs ok. Reprints ok. Submission fee of $5 CAD (about ($3.70 USD). No payment.
 
Publisher: Circling Rivers Press
Deadline: None
The press is open to unagented submissions of poetry chapbooks of 76+ pages. Free to submit.

RECOMMENDED

Peace By the Sea by Harry L. Thomas – Just released! The author is a friend of our Poets’ Salon member David Boston, who highly recommends it. A short description of the book: “An elegant compilation of wisdom, guidance, and photography by the sea to inspire personal strength and inner peace. It reflects Harry's personal formula for living his best life, illustrated by 111 color photographs and carefully selected quotes.”