P – Call for Submissions to Rhino Poetry

submission guidelines

Our aesthetic:

Our diverse group of editors looks for the best unpublished poems, translations, and flash fiction/nonfiction by local, national, and international writers. We welcome all styles of writing, particularly that which is well-crafted, uses language lovingly and surprisingly, and feels daring or quietly powerful.

No Artificial Intelligence (AI) Content:

We do not accept any writing or translations created with AI software because our publication is an outlet for human creativity. If your work consciously and purposefully quotes lines generated by AI software, as with an allusion to another text or publication, you must cite your sources.

How and when to submit:

While we do accept submissions via mail, we strongly encourage you to submit via Submittable. Please submit only once during each reading period. All poetry accepted poems are automatically considered for our Editors’ Prize; we often award a Translation Prize as well.

How does RHINO work?

Every submission is reviewed by at least three editors, any of whom can nominate a poem to be brought to our editorial table; there the poem is read aloud, discussed, and voted on by all the editors in attendance. Majority votes win; no editor has any more or less decision-making power than any other.

Our tastes are deliberately eclectic, and we value the dynamic discussions we have around our editorial table. We take a “step forward, step back” approach to our discussions, making sure that all editors’ voices are heard.

We build our journal poem by poem, organizing it alphabetically by author’s last name, letting the poems speak to each other as they wish to. That is, we don’t seek out poems by theme or kind. We select poems on their own merits, not by the reputation of the poet who submitted it to us. Every poem is a new beginning. Every poem is a fresh start.

We are curious about who submits to us, and we hope everyone feels welcome and encouraged to submit. We are looking for ways to reflect more deeply on our editorial practices, to stretch our own ideas of what excellence is, and to challenge ourselves to read beyond our comfort zones.

None of our editors are paid for their work. We create this journal because we believe in it, we believe in the work we publish, and we believe in the importance of collaboration and artistic community.

What to Send: 

• 3-5 poems or flash fiction/nonfiction pieces (500 words or fewer), totaling no more than 5 pages

• A single, typed document (.doc, .docx, or .pdf)

• Unpublished work only (We don’t accept any previously published work, including work that has appeared online, or work already planned for publication in a chapbook, book, or elsewhere.)

• A copy of the work in its original language if you are sending a translation; the translator is responsible for obtaining the author’s permission to use their material.

• Your best version. We can’t accept edits or revisions once you submit.

We do accept simultaneous submissions, but trust that you will withdraw your poem or packet promptly if accepted elsewhere.