The theme for Issue #15 is: Companions. Companions take on many forms—human, animal, object, or ideas and memories. Some are loved, some are hated or do us harm. Some are with us now, others are lost to time, circumstances, death. The artist for this issue will be the accomplished and imaginative Ira Upin.
The deadline is December 31st, 2023. As with every issue, poems submitted do not need to follow the prompt/theme. A single $100 award will be given for an outstanding poem. There is never a reading fee. An interview with the prize winner will be published in the same issue (optional).
Poems can be any style, but preferably non-rhyming. Submit up to three poems, each no longer than 64 lines, to laststanza@outlook.com as a single Word document or within the body of your email. All proceeds from the sale of LSPJ are used to purchase copies for libraries and for the editor’s choice award, so there is no budget for author copies. Published poems will be considered for a Pushcart Prize nomination. Authors retain all rights to their poems. Reprints are rarely accepted, and if the poem has been previously published, please credit the prior publication.
Last Stanza Poetry Journal is published worldwide in ebook, softcover, and color-illustrated hardcover, available primarily from Amazon, but some also via these sites and others: Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Book Depository, Blackwell, and Powell's. (Donations via PayPal to laststanza@outlook.com will be used to purchase additional copies for libraries.)
