RockPaperPoem is a new online poetry journal publishing “poems that rally to great causes, speak to daily lives, reveal personal passions.” Poems are published three times a year and they are currently open for submissions until February 28, 2022. For more information see my interview with Co-Managing Editor Alan Perry and a link to submission guidelines below.

HOPKINSON: Tell me a little bit about RockPaperPoem. 

PERRY: RockPaperPoem is a poet-run, triannual online journal that seeks to offer the finest poems to a broad readership who values imagery, emotion and humanity in poetry. We love multi-layered work that draws the reader in, then turns to unexpected places and themes, and makes us want to read the piece again. We have no structural, academic or style requirements, though we do prefer free verse creations.

HOPKINSON: How/why was RockPaperPoem originally started? 

PERRY: A conversation between poet Peter Stein and I two years ago was the genesis for developing RockPaperPoem. The League of Minnesota Poets (a non-profit led by Peter) became our initial and major sponsor, and helped launch RPP with funding, systems and processes. Along with Co-Managing Editor Vince O’Connor and our dedicated team, it has been a thrill seeing RPP come to life!

HOPKINSON: Who is your target reader audience? 

PERRY: Someone who wants to read poems that enrich contemporary poetry and expand its boundaries without sacrificing accessibility for experimentation. Readers who want to revisit and enjoy poems more than once will appreciate the work of our contributing poets.

HOPKINSON: What type of work are you looking for? 

PERRY: We’re looking for poetry grounded in humanity and memorable in impact. We want work that makes the reader feel the passion of the piece: the relationship of person to person, or person to environment, or a great cause for humankind. In short, we want to see something we wish we had written!

HOPKINSON: What do you wish you’d see submitted, but rarely comes in? 

PERRY: So far in our embryonic journal life, we love what we’re seeing: a myriad of content, styles and themes. To our submitters we say, please keep your poems coming!

HOPKINSON: What are some of your favorite RockPaperPoems/journals?

PERRY: In no particular order: Palette Poetry, Tahoma Literary Review, Rattle, Waxwing, Adroit Journal, Frontier Poetry, Typishly, Lunch Ticket, Superstition Review, Pedestal, Typehouse (full disclosure: I’m on staff).

HOPKINSON: What is your favorite part of being on staff with the RockPaperPoem?

PERRY: Being part of a talented, dedicated team of poets who are creating a journal we couldn’t have developed individually. Seeing the final product of an RPP issue is a hugely gratifying team effort, and well worth the work to make it happen.

HOPKINSON: Where can we send submissions? 

PERRY: Submit on our website: https://RockPaperPoem.com

HOPKINSON: If someone has a question, how can they contact you? 

PERRY: Click Contact Us on our website – we love to hear from readers!

Click here to read submission guidelines.

• SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Feb 28, 2022
• THEME(S): Open
• FORMAT: Online
• SUBMISSION FEE: None
• PAYMENT: Not yet
• ISSUE FREQUENCY: 3X/year
• AVERAGE RESPONSE TIME: Within 30 days after reading period closes, but usually much faster
• SUBMISSION METHOD: Submittable
• SIMULTANEOUS SUBMISSIONS: Yes
• FORMS: Poetry
• DUOTROPE: https://duotrope.com/listing/33181/rockpaperpoem
• SOCIAL MEDIA: Twitter

If you like this post, please share with your writerly friends and/or  follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. You can see all the FREE resources my site offers poets/writers on my Start Here page.