Free Poetry Submissions May 2026
We’re accepting poetry submissions
Free the Verse is currently accepting two types of submissions: poems submitted to our themed quarterly issues and poems with additional commentary submitted to Marginalia, a new series where we publish annotated first and final drafts. Submissions are free.
Issue submissions
Submit a poem for our next quarterly issue. We publish 10–12 poems around a specific theme every quarter.
Submit to our next issue ➜Marginalia
Submit a first and final draft of your poem, with annotations explaining your edits. We'll shape your answers into an article which talks about the editing process.
Submit to Marginalia ➜Frequently asked questions
What kinds of submission is Free the Verse looking for?
We have two submission routes. Issue submissions are open calls for poetry to be published in our digital magazine. Marginalia is a standalone feature where poets share a first and final draft of a poem side by side, with their own annotations on what changed and why.
Can I submit to both at the same time?
Yes – they are completely independent of each other and you are welcome to submit to both simultaneously.
Is there a fee to submit?
No – all submissions are free. If you love what we do and would like to support the magazine, you can leave an optional tip on the submission form or enter one of our competitions.
Will I be paid if my work is published?
Yes. We pay USD $10 for poems published in our issues, and USD $20 for Marginalia pieces. Payment is made via PayPal once you’ve accepted our offer of publication.
Who can submit?
Poets aged 18 and over, from anywhere in the world.
What language should my poem be in?
Primarily English, though words and phrases from other languages are very welcome.
What type of poetry do you publish?
We’re open to anything, but we love free-verse poetry. If you’d like to get a sense of what we’ve published in the past, you can read our previous issues for free here.
What are your poetry submission windows in 2026?
Marginalia is always open for submissions. Issue submissions: as soon as we close one theme for submissions, we open the next. This means we’re always open for submissions! The best way to keep up-to-date with new calls for submissions is to subscribe to our mailing list. You can also follow us on Instagram.
Featured Poems
with a missing teardrop earring
and a face full of questions.
birds flying straight into the Earth.
digging into your cheek.
as though the plane had a hole
in its back pocket
