We are a poetry-only journal that welcomes submissions three times per year during our open reading periods through Submittable. Any breaks, hiatuses, or interruptions to our reading period will be announced here.
Send us your most polished work. We look for the best poems, regardless of form or subject matter. Submissions are open to any poet writing in English from anywhere in the world. However, we do not accept translations at this time. We encourage submissions from writers of all backgrounds, including LGBTQIA+ writers, writers of color, unpublished writers, writers with disabilities, and international writers. All who submit work must be at least 18 years of age.
We do not accept work that exhibits racism, xenophobia, sexism, ageism, classism, religious prejudice, ableism, or hatred of any marginalized group or individual.
Send up to 5 poems for consideration, with a maximum of 2 pages per poem. Submit all poems in one document in Times New Roman 12-point font. Poems should be single-spaced, with each poem beginning on a new page. Because we have format limitations, do not submit work that requires odd spacing or shapes that can’t be easily accommodated. Do not place your name or any personal information on your submitted poems, nor in the file name of your submission. Your name and personal information should only appear in the requested sections of Submittable. In the cover letter area, include your name, poem titles, and a brief biography (100-word maximum).
We accept simultaneous submissions, but please let us know immediately if one or more of your poems are accepted elsewhere first. We do NOT accept previously published work, either in print or online (e.g. blogs, social media, websites).
Submit only once per reading period. We do not accept or read multiple submissions in the same reading period. To offer additional opportunities to more authors, we publish a poet’s work no more than once per year. By waiting one year before submitting again, we mean skipping two issues of RockPaperPoem. Since we publish three times a year, we regard this as a year’s wait. Expect a response to your submission within 30 days after the close of the open reading period.
Unfortunately, we are not able to pay contributors at this time. However, we enthusiastically nominate and publicize poems for Best of the Net and the Pushcart Prize, in addition to publicizing our contributors through social media channels.
By submitting to RockPaperPoem, you confirm that all your work and submissions are yours alone and that no part of your submission has been generated by any artificial intelligence (AI) content generator. We reserve the right to reject your work at any time in our review, acceptance, and publication process, including removal after publication, if we discover that content has been AI-generated or otherwise plagiarized.
If you use Duotrope, we encourage you to report your submissions.
We are closed for regular submissions, but our 2026 Poetry Prize contest is open! See below for details.
2026 RockPaperPoem Poetry Prize
Grand Prize – $300
Two Runners-Up – $150 each
Entry Fee: $10 for up to three poems.
Eligibility: Open to anyone 18 years of age and older writing in English, from anywhere in the world. Contributors to any previous issue of RockPaperPoem are also eligible.
Guidelines:
1. Send 1-3 of your best, previously unpublished poems. Poems published on a blog or social media are not eligible. No theme; any subject is welcome; maximum two pages per poem.
2: Entries must be submitted through Submittable.
3. Multiple submissions are allowed.
4. Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but please notify us immediately through Submittable if a poem has been accepted elsewhere.
5: Contest is open Friday, April 3, 2026, through midnight (CT) Friday, June 5, 2026. Winners will be announced in July.
6: All submissions will be considered for publication and will receive a response regardless of prize status.
7: No identifying personal or contact information should appear on any poem or file.
8: Once submitted, poems cannot be revised, unless requested by RockPaperPoem editors.
9: By submitting, you agree to receive any cash prize electronically via PayPal or Zelle if selected as a winner.
10: Initial review of submissions will be done by RockPaperPoem editors.
11: Approximately fifteen to twenty finalists will be sent as blind submissions to the contest judge, who will select the Grand Prize and two runners-up. The winning poems will appear in the next issue of RockPaperPoem.
12. Relatives, friends, current and former students, and others with a close relationship with the contest judge are not eligible to enter.
Terms and Conditions:
1. If selected as a winner, you grant RockPaperPoem First North American Serial and First Electronic Rights to your submitted work. All rights revert to you after publication.
2. If you re-publish any accepted work at a later date, you agree to credit RockPaperPoem as the original place of publication.
3. You also confirm that your submission is solely your own, original, unpublished writing, and that no part of your submission has been generated by any AI content generator.
Celebrating the Poet: Submit Your Work Today!
RockPaperPoem is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.