Call for submissions to Issue 23 of Last Stanza Poetry Journal

 

The theme for Last Stanza Poetry Journal, Issue #23, is The Neighborhood. The cover artist is Nat Karson.

The deadline for submissions is December 31st, 2025. A single $100 award will be given for an outstanding poem. There is never a reading fee. An interview with the Editor’s Choice Award winner will be published in the same issue (optional).

Poems may 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 an email. There is no budget for author copies, as proceeds are used to purchase copies for libraries. Published poems will be considered for a Pushcart Prize nomination. Authors retain all rights to their poems. Reprints are no longer accepted.

Last Stanza Poetry Journal is published worldwide in ebook, softcover, and color-illustrated hardcover editions. It is available primarily from Amazon, but some issues are also available via these and other sites: Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Book Depository, Blackwell, and Powell’s.

Call for submissions to Last Stanza Poetry Journal Issue 22: Arts & Crafts

 

The theme for Last Stanza Poetry Journal, Issue #22, is Arts & Crafts. The cover is a portrait of Gertrude Jekyll, the most influential Arts & Crafts garden designer of the early 20th century. Let her inspire you to write of gardens, design, or any arts or crafts.

The deadline for submissions is September 30th, 2025. A single $100 award will be given for an outstanding poem. There is never a reading fee. An interview with the Editor’s Choice Award winner will be published in the same issue (optional).

Poems may 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 an email. There is no budget for author copies, as proceeds are used to purchase copies for libraries. Published poems will be considered for a Pushcart Prize nomination. Authors retain all rights to their poems. Reprints are no longer accepted.

Last Stanza Poetry Journal is published worldwide in ebook, softcover, and color-illustrated hardcover editions. It is available primarily from Amazon, but some issues are also available via these and other sites: Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Book Depository, Blackwell, and Powell’s.

Callout for submissions to Last Stanza Poetry Journal, Issue 21: Conversation

 

The theme for Last Stanza Poetry Journal Issue #21 is Conversation. Conversations, painful or joyful discussions, debates, gossip, pillow talks, or conversations you've always wished you could have had.

The deadline for submissions is June 30th, 2025. A single $100 award will be given for an outstanding poem. There is never a reading fee. An interview with the Editor’s Choice Award winner will be published in the same issue (optional).

Poems may 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 an email. There is no budget for author copies, as proceeds are used to purchase copies for libraries. Published poems will be considered for a Pushcart Prize nomination. Authors retain all rights to their poems. Reprints are no longer accepted.

Last Stanza Poetry Journal is published worldwide in ebook, softcover, and color-illustrated hardcover. It is available primarily from Amazon, but some issues are also available via these sites and others: Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Book Depository, Blackwell, and Powell’s.

Callout for Issue 20 of Last Stanza Poetry Journal: Games

 

The theme for Last Stanza Poetry Journal Issue #20 is Games: board games, cards, puzzles, sports, quizzes, lawn games, role-playing games, etc. The poems will be accompanied by fabulous artworks of antique games.

The deadline for submissions is March 31, 2025. A single $100 award will be given for an outstanding poem. There is never a reading fee. An interview with the Editor’s Choice Award winner will be published in the same issue (optional).

Poems may 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 an email. There is no budget for author copies, as proceeds are used to purchase copies for libraries. Published poems will be considered for a Pushcart Prize nomination. Authors retain all rights to their poems. Reprints are rarely accepted. 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. It is available primarily from Amazon, but some issues are also via these sites and others: Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Book Depository, Blackwell, and Powell’s.

Callout for submissions to Issue 18 of Last Stanza Poetry Journal

 

DEADLINE EXTENDED UNTIL October 6th!

The theme for Last Stanza Poetry Journal Issue #18 is “Oops!” Brazilian J. Carlos [José Carlos de Brito e Cunha] will be the featured artist.

The deadline is September 30, 2024. A single $100 award will be given for an outstanding poem. There is never a reading fee. An interview with the Editor’s Choice Award 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. There is no budget for author copies, as proceeds are used to purchase copies for libraries. Published poems will be considered for a Pushcart Prize nomination. Authors retain all rights to their poems. Reprints are rarely accepted. 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. It is available primarily from Amazon, but some issues are also via these sites and others: Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Book Depository, Blackwell, and Powell’s. 

Callout for submissions to Issue 17 of Last Stanza Poetry Journal

 

The theme for Issue #17 is “A Table in the Wilderness.” The featured artist will be Kim Kalahar of https://www.kimkalahar.com/

 

The deadline is June 30, 2024. A single $100 award will be given for an outstanding poem. There is never a reading fee. An interview with the Editor’s Choice Award 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. There is no budget for author copies as proceeds are used to purchase copies for libraries. 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. It is available primarily from Amazon, but some issues are also via these sites and others: Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Book Depository, Blackwell, and Powell’s. 

Callout for submissions to Issue #16 of Last Stanza Poetry Journal

 

The theme for Issue #16 is: Homelands. Artworks featured in this issue will be those of the Group of Seven, once known as the Algonquin School, a group of Canadian landscape painters from 1920 to 1933.

The deadline is March 31st, 2024. 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. 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. 

Callout for submissions for Last Stanza Poetry Journal Issue #15

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.)

Callout for submissions to Issue #14 of Last Stanza Poetry Journal: I Never Knew

 

The theme for Issue #14 will be I Never Knew. The featured artist will be the creative Sue Davis of Vachon Arts.

The deadline is September 30, 2023. New starting with this issue: no poems will be read prior to September 1st, and notifications of acceptances will be sent to poets throughout September. 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 at this time. Published poems will be considered for a Pushcart Prize nomination. Authors retain all rights to their poems.

Last Stanza Poetry Journal is published worldwide in ebook, softcover, and color-illustrated hardcover, available from these sites and others: Amazon, 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.)

Callout for Issue #13 of Last Stanza Poetry Journal

 

The theme for Issue #13 will be These Things We Carry. The featured artist will be the talented Wesley Dallas Merritt.

The deadline is June 30, 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 or next issue (optional).

Poems can be any style, but preferably non-rhyming. Submit up to five 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 at this time. Published poems will be considered for a Pushcart Prize nomination.

Last Stanza Poetry Journal is published worldwide in ebook, hardcover, and softcover, available from these sites and others: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Book Depository, Blackwell, Powell's. (Donations via PayPal to laststanza@outlook.com will be used to purchase additional copies for libraries.)

Callout for issue #12 of Last Stanza Poetry Journal: Respite

The theme for issue #12 is Respite, which dictionary.com defines as “a delay or cessation for a time, especially of anything distressing or trying; an interval of relief.” Show readers how you define respite. The deadline is March 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 or next issue (optional).

Poems can be any style, but preferably non-rhyming. Submit up to five 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 at this time. Published poems will be considered for a Pushcart Prize nomination. Issue #12 will feature the art of Felix Melchor https://www.instagram.com/felixmelchor.art

Last Stanza Poetry Journal is published worldwide in ebook, hardcover, and softcover, available from these sites and others: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Book Depository, Blackwell, Powell's. (Donations via PayPal to laststanza@outlook.com will be used to purchase additional copies for libraries.)

Callout for Issue #11 of Last Stanza Poetry Journal: The Outsider

 

The theme for issue #11 is The Outsider. The deadline is December 31st, 2022. 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 or next issue (optional).

Featuring the works of unknown outsider artists, this issue asks for poems of feeling outside of society, or standing on the inside looking out. Being left out or forgotten altogether.

Poems can be any style, but preferably non-rhyming. Submit up to five 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 at this time. Published poems will be considered for a Pushcart Prize nomination.

LSPJ is published worldwide in ebook, hardcover, and softcover, available from these sites and others: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Book Depository, Blackwell, Powell's. (Donations via PayPal to laststanza@outlook.com will be used to purchase additional copies for libraries.)

Callout for Issue #10 of Last Stanza Poetry Journal

 

The theme for issue #10 is Who are You? The deadline is September 15th. As with every issue, poems submitted do not need to follow the prompt/theme. The featured artist will be Clarissa Rubin. 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 or next issue (optional).

Poems can be any style, but preferably non-rhyming. Submit up to five poems, each no longer than 64 lines, to laststanza@outlook.com as a 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 at this time. Published poems will be considered for a Pushcart Prize nomination.

LSPJ is published worldwide in ebook and softcover, available from these sites and others: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Book Depository, Blackwell, Powell's.

Call for poems for Issue #9 of Last Stanza Poetry Journal

 

The theme for issue #9 is synesthesia, the intersecting of two senses. A number may have a color. A word a flavor. A name a sound. For your poems, blend senses in any way imaginable whether or not it follows the true definition of synesthesia. The deadline is June 30th. As with every issue, poems submitted do not need to follow the prompt/theme. The featured artist will be Linda Wesolowski. 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 or next issue (optional).

Poems can be any style, but preferably non-rhyming. Submit up to five poems, each no longer than 64 lines, to laststanza@outlook.com as a 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 at this time. Published poems will be considered for a Pushcart Prize nomination.

LSPJ is published worldwide in ebook and softcover, available from these sites and others: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart, Book Depository, Blackwell, Powell's.

Callout for poems for Issue #8: root, bloom, cultivate

The theme for issue #8 is: root, bloom, cultivate. Floral, gardening, farming, planting, and related poems are very welcome for this topic, as are poems about personal growth, putting down roots, family trees, raising a family, and so on. The featured artist will be Laura Crawford. The deadline is March 31st. 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. Prize winner interview will be published in the same issue.

Poems can be any style, but preferably non-rhyming. Submit up to five poems, each no longer than 64 lines, to laststanza@outlook.com as a 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 at this time. Published poems will be considered for a Pushcart Prize nomination.

Seeking poems of premonition, coincidence, folklore, magic

Last Stanza Poetry Journal is seeking poems on: premonition, coincidence, folklore, magic. The cover image is by Amy Brewer-Davenport, our talented featured artist for this issue. 

Poems can be any style, but preferably non-rhyming. Submit up to five poems, each no longer than 64 lines, to laststanza@outlook.com as a Word document or within the body of your email. All proceeds from the sale of LSPJ are used to purchase copies for libraries, so, unfortunately, there is no budget for author copies at this time. Poems will be considered for Pushcart Prize nomination.

Issue #7 has a deadline of December 31st.

As with every issue, poems submitted do not need to follow the prompt/theme.

New starting with this issue is a single $100 award for an outstanding poem. Never a reading fee.

Looking forward to the spring issue, the theme will be planting, growing, blooming to complement our featured artist's floral paintings. 

Seeking submissions for Issue #6 of Last Stanza Poetry Journal

 

Calling all poets! The theme for Issue #6 is: The Elephant in the Room. As usual, the prompt can be taken two different ways. What in your life is large and obvious but never written about or that you've studiously avoided writing about? What have you always felt wasn’t worth writing about although it's a significant part of your life? What are you silent about that you might benefit from writing on and sharing? Or, as a second take on the prompt, send in poems featuring elephants—real, imagined, stuffed, etc. The cover image by Jeffrey Spahr-Summers inspired this theme, and he’ll be the featured artist/photographer for issue #6. I’m currently seeking an illustrator for future issues. 

Poems can be any style, but preferably non-rhyming. Submit up to five poems, each no longer than 64 lines, to laststanza@outlook.com as a Word document or in the body of your email. All proceeds from the sale of LSPJ are used to purchase copies for libraries, so, unfortunately, there is no budget for author copies at this time.

Issue #6 has a deadline of September 15th.

As with every issue, poems submitted do not need to follow the prompt/theme.

Seeking poems for Issue #5 of Last Stanza Poetry Journal

The theme for issue #5 is Lost / Found / Rediscovered. This can be interpreted in two ways. Do you have poems you’ve written long ago that never were published but you love and want to submit somewhere again? Send them—any subject or style. The other interpretation of the theme is that the poems submitted are about something lost, found, and/or rediscovered. If possible, I’d love to have you send a photo of that item if it is a tangible thing, person, place, etc. Or, if it’s still lost, a photo of a very similar item (or a painting/drawing) that will be published with your author bio at the rear of the journal. I’ll also create an online album of these photos on the Last Stanza Poetry Association’s Facebook page. Poems can be any style. Please submit up to five poems, each no longer than 64 lines, to jennykalahar@att.net as a Word document or in the body of the email. 

The deadline for this issue is June 30th. As with every issue, poems submitted do not need to follow the prompt/theme.

Note: please have permission to use photos that are not your own. I will credit the photographer online and in the journal. All royalties from the sale of LSPJ are used to purchase copies for libraries, so, unfortunately, there is no budget for author copies at this time.

The illustrator for the next issue will be Heather Blaha.

All issues are for sale online in ebook and softcover on Amazon.com and other sites worldwide.

Calling all poets! Submit to Issue #4 of Last Stanza Poetry Journal

Calling all poets! Submissions are now open. The prompt for Issue #4 is The Undictionary. 

I’m a great admirer of clarity, but sometimes the words in the dictionary aren’t the ones you need to precisely describe a person, place, thing, or emotion. Families have Undictionary words, particularly innocuous oaths. My dad’s side of the family said “Ishillimay!” when declaring something was keenly full of nonsense. This was accompanied by both hands swatting at the air dismissively. My parents, brothers, and I used “pank.” We all knew what that was—you panked snow to make a snowball, and you panked the towels into the hall closet to make them fit on the shelf. It was a real word to us. 

For the next issue of the journal, please include one or more words from your own (or your family's) Undictionary in your poems. No need to define them within the poem—the meaning should be clear (or not) within the context. Edward Gorey and Lewis Carroll never needed to explain their nonsense words, after all. If, however, you'd like to add a footnote as to the origin of your made-up word, that would be cool.

As with all prompts for Last Stanza PJ, poets do not have to utilize it. I want to read whatever you’d like to send. The deadline for submitting up to five poems is March 31st. Any form, any length, any topic. Please send them in a Word document or in the body of an email to jennykalahar@att.net. All royalties from the sale of LSPJ are used to purchase copies for libraries, so, unfortunately, there is no budget for author copies at this time.

I'm also seeking illustrators and photographers to feature in the next and future issues, so please spread the word to your visually creative friends. A special thank you to Lylanne Musselman, the illustrator of Issue #3. The illustrator for Issue #4 will be Christina Hollering.

Seeking submissions for Last Stanza Poetry Journal, Issue #3: Altered States

Open to all poets! Now accepting submissions for Issue #3 of 𝐿𝒶𝓈𝓉 𝒮𝓉𝒶𝓃𝓏𝒶 𝒫𝑜𝑒𝓉𝓇𝓎 𝒥𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓃𝒶𝓁. The theme is: "altered states." These are unusual times. What has altered in your life, or in the lives of those around you? What angers you? What is better this year than in the past? What will never be the same going forward?

The deadline for Issue #3 is December 31st, 2020. 

Any form, any length, up to five poems. Non-rhyming poetry is preferred. Please see Issues #1 and #2.

If accepted, I'll ask for a bio and author photo. Submissions are welcome in a Word file or in the body of an email. No reading fees and no obligation to purchase the journal. All proceeds will go toward the purchase of copies for libraries. Send your writing to: jennykalahar@att.net 

I'm also seeking artists for the interior and covers--photographers, painters, sketchers, sculptors, etc. for future issues.