Submissions open: Monday 8th September. We close Wednesday 8 October. Our theme is Conflict
Here’s what you need to know about submitting to Black Iris
We have a strong bias towards poems that address contemporary issues. It is not the only thing we publish, but we really like work that responds to where we are now. In our previous issues, we have published poems about climate change, domestic violence, war in the Ukraine and the Middle East. We chose these poems because they were unflinching about horrors without slipping into voyeurism, and we had a strong sense that the poet knew exactly where they were standing in relation to what they were writing about. Have a read of some of our previous issues if you haven’t managed to do this yet - it will give you a sense of what we look for.
We like lyricism. Not exclusively, but as a species, we sang before we spoke. The sound you make is really important right now (see above re collapse of humanity). Make a human sound or no one will hear you. We like form. But we mean this in the broadest, most omnivorous sense – poems that make good formal choices that amplify what you want to say. Poems that know where to break a line, how to balance sense, musicality and feeling. We like complexity, nuance and rarity. We don’t like willful obscurity. There really isn’t time.
We accept simultaneous submissions. But let us know as soon as you know if your work gets lucky with someone else. Don’t send us something that has been published previously (including on your own social media channels).
To submit, send us up to four poems in one word file. Please title your file with your name - this really helps us to read and file your submission quickly. if your poem has a particularly complex form, feel free to send a PDF as well as a word document. Where possible, our preferred font is Times New Roman 12 pt. Please also send a 50 word third person bio the body of your email to blackirispoetry@gmail.com, and any social media handles you would like us to tag when we publish. We aim to get back to you within four weeks. If for any reason, we’re struggling to meet that timeframe (sometimes we do!), we’ll let you know.
