Poetry Midwest
Description
We are a journal of the Rust Belt, the Corn Belt, and everywhere in between.
We predominately seek to publish what we call Midwestern Noir. We are looking for the poetry of the basement, the garage, and the back road. We want the grit under fingernails and the mud between toes.
We believe in the Objective Correlative. Do not tell us you are lonely; show us the single plate on the table. We want poems with weight. Give us the concrete, bone, and grease.
We want work that is blunt and unflinching. If you can say it in two words, don’t use five. Don’t use “flowery” language for the sake of sounding “poetic.” We prefer a jagged edge to a polished surface.
We don’t do flowers and rainbows for the sake of flowers and rainbows. If you’re writing about nature, it shouldn’t (just be) because it’s pretty. We want the landscape as it actually is: chemically treated, weather-beaten, and indifferent to your feelings.
We predominately seek to publish what we call Midwestern Noir. We are looking for the poetry of the basement, the garage, and the back road. We want the grit under fingernails and the mud between toes.
We believe in the Objective Correlative. Do not tell us you are lonely; show us the single plate on the table. We want poems with weight. Give us the concrete, bone, and grease.
We want work that is blunt and unflinching. If you can say it in two words, don’t use five. Don’t use “flowery” language for the sake of sounding “poetic.” We prefer a jagged edge to a polished surface.
We don’t do flowers and rainbows for the sake of flowers and rainbows. If you’re writing about nature, it shouldn’t (just be) because it’s pretty. We want the landscape as it actually is: chemically treated, weather-beaten, and indifferent to your feelings.
Market Genres
Genres
GeneralMarket Types, Lengths & Pay Scale
Originals
Poetry
Any length
Non-Paying
Market Submission Types
AI Submissions?: Unknown Policy
Electronic Submissions?: Yes
Postal Submissions?: No
Multiple Submissions?: Yes
Simultaneous Submissions?: Yes
Translations: Original Language Only
Estimated Response: 21 days
Electronic Submissions?: Yes
Postal Submissions?: No
Multiple Submissions?: Yes
Simultaneous Submissions?: Yes
Translations: Original Language Only
Estimated Response: 21 days
Market-Provided Data
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Market Response Data (User-Reported)
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numbers will be so please be sure to log all of your submissions here and not just your rejections or acceptances.
numbers will be so please be sure to log all of your submissions here and not just your rejections or acceptances.
Count:
There are 0 completed reports in the past 12 months.
Pending:
There are 0 pending responses.
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Listing added: 9 February 2026
Last officially checked: 9 February 2026