Atlanta Review looks for simply amazing poetry–poetry that delights, poetry that refreshes the spirit, that sparks curiosity, that intrigues the intellect, that fills the senses, that says something genuine about the world as well as the individual. We celebrate diversity and are open to many styles, forms, and kinds of poetry, about any and all subjects.
However, we do not want any work that harms or marginalizes others, or is sexist, misogynistic, racist, ageist, ableist, homophobic, transphobic, etc. We also don’t want poems that glorify violence or focus on dead-or-dying animals, particularly as an inelegant excuse to meditate on death.
To get an idea about what we’re looking for, you can read sample poems from our current issue and past issues (which we are slowly putting online)–or better yet, you can subscribe to the journal and get two (or more!) great issues full of the best poetry we can find, delivered right to your door.
We support sustainable options in our operations. Online submissions are good for the environment, and we encourage you to submit your work through our Submittable portal, which charges $3 for the service.
However, we are mindful about some poets’ lack of/ limited access to computers or the web, as well as the potential for financial hardship, particularly as more and more journals charge for submissions. (Those fees can really rack up–we know, because we ourselves are poets who publish). With that said, you may continue to submit typed poems by mail for free at our mailing address: 686 Cherry St. NW, Suite 333, Atlanta GA 30332-0161. If you choose to submit by regular mail, please enclose a cover letter with your contact information, including an e-mail address, and please include a S.A.S.E., with enough postage to return your poems. Otherwise, we will recycle manuscripts.
Because of the fee associated with our annual contest, however, all contest submissions must use the online service.
You can read our quick-and-dirty guidelines here, or click on the links below for more details.
For General Submissions, we prefer:
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- No more than five unpublished poems per submission, each poem on its own page, contained in a single .doc or .docx file.
- No identifying information on any poem. Atlanta Review reads work anonymously: we publish poems, not poets.
- Only one submission per submission period.
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For Contest Submissions, we prefer:
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- Unpublished poems, each poem on its own page, contained in a single .doc or .docx file. Poems must not have won a major prize in another contest. You may enter as many poems as you like, provided you pay the fee for each submission.
- No identifying information on any poem.
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For Dan Veach Prize Submissions, we prefer:
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- No more than two poems (40 lines or fewer for each poem), each poem on its own page, contained in a single .doc or .docx file, with no identifying information on the poem(s) themselves. Contact information must be entered in the submission form, but this information will not be visible to judges during the contest.
- A letter of recommendation (up to 500 words) from a teacher or other person well-acquainted with the student’s writing must accompany the poem(s). The recommendation letter should affirm that these poems are the student’s original work.
- A brief statement by the poet (up to 100 words) that offers a little information about the poet; his, her, or their interest in poetry; or about how he, she, or they came to write the work being submitted. This information will not be visible to judges during the contest.
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We read year-round, with the following deadlines:
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- June 1st for the Fall/Winter Issue
- December 1st for the Spring/Summer Issue.
- May 15th for the annual contest (accepted from February 1st)
- June 1st for the Dan Veach Prize for Younger Poets (accepted from March 1st)
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For more details and to submit your work electronically,