A. SASE stands for self-addressed stamped envelope. After your poems are considered for publication, the editor uses this envelope to notify you. If you request that your poems be returned, the envelope is used for this purpose and should bear the correct return postage. If the SASE does not have the correct postage, your submissions will not be returned. If you have submitted poems to a contest, the editor uses the SASE to notify only the winners.

Q.  I have heard the expression a well-constructed poem. Exactly what does that mean?

A. Good poems rarely tell the message; rather they suggest meaning by using tools and techniques available to a poet. These tools include, but are not limited to, the following figures of speech: alliteration, assonance, and onomatopoeia (sounds); personification; simile and metaphor, (comparisons); metonymy and others. Rhyme and rhythm also play an important part. Most editors discourage obvious rhyme unless the poet is writing a form poem. (see Self-Portrait by Eileen Albrizio accessed from Sample Poems on the main menu.) Good poems speak on more than one level, making an imaginative leap to the place or idea the poet desires to lead the reader.Top of the Document

Q.  Does a rejection notice mean my poems are not good enough?

A.  It could mean that the editor feels you need more experience, but it also could mean that the subject matter does not fit the purpose of the magazine, or is perhaps better suited to another audience. Try submitting your poems to other magazines. Read as much contemporary poetry as you can. (Please see our listing on Suggested Reading from the main menu. Now Under Construction)Top of the Document

Q.  Should I include a short biography about my work and myself when I submit a poem, or should I wait until my poem is selected?

A.  Editors generally prefer that a biography accompany the submission. Remember to keep your biography short (50 words) and reference only some of your latest work.op of the Document

Q. Why do poetry magazines seem to frown on longer poems?

 A.  A publication can hold only so many poems. Restricting length is a way to ensure more poets are published. However, a more pragmatic reason exists. Each poet published is a potential resale customer. Many poetry magazines count heavily upon sales, especially if they are not endowed.Top of the Document

Q.  How many poems should I submit at one time?

A.  Generally, three to five, although some editors set the limit at three. Editors can literally have hundreds of poems to read even when they set a low limit.Top of the Document

Q.  If a magazine accepts my poem, what should I do?

A.  Write a letter thanking the editor. the Document

Q. Should I submit again?

A.  We encourage this. When an editor likes your first submission, you have a good chance that another submission might also be accepted. On the other hand, some poets feel that once they have placed that publication in their credits, they should move to the next challenge.

Q. How do editors feel about shape poems or poems that have very long lines?

A.  The problem with some shape poems is the difficulty of fitting them on a standard page (8.5” h x 5.5 w”), especially if they have lines longer than 4.5". The layout editor can only reduce the size of the print making the poem fit the page; now, the poem does not conform to the visual standards of the magazine. The editor has more leeway with poems with very long lines. The long lines can be broken, carried to the next line, and indented. The difficulty here is that the editor makes the decision where the line will be broken unless the editor has time to consult with the poet.