Submissions

Sappho and Alcaeus, by Sir Lawrence Alma-Tadema.

Editor's Guidelines:

Lucid Rhythms is looking for poetry that has lyricism, originality, accessibility and beauty. 

Both free verse and metrical poetry are welcome.

Poems should not be obscure or overly abstract. They should be accessible and communicative.

Poems should have a strong element of rhythm, poetry, music--a strong metrical element whether they are formalist or free verse (yes, free verse poems do have a metrical element if they are good poems).

No previously published poems.

Humor is fine, though I am not soliciting light verse per se. If it is funny and good, it may be acceptable.

I am not interested in political poems that address specific events, persons, causes, etc. Poems that touch on political events as they relate to the general human condition are fine (examples: "Bush's War" by Robert Hass, The American Poetry Review, March/April 2006; Timothy Steele's "April 27, 1937," in Toward the Winter Solstice).

It goes without saying that racism, sexism and all such phases of unenlightened discourse will find no place in Lucid Rhythms.

Poems about religion, from all religious traditions, are welcome. I am keenly interested in verse that interrogates and ponders religious questions (see the links to my poems "Religiosity" and "Ely Cathedral"). Poems that proselytize, preach, gush, or extoll any particular religion, or religion in general, are not sought.

No rules on language, but all language should be appropriate to the theme and tenor of a poem--no language for mere shock value. Pornography (I know it when I see it) is not acceptable, but poetry that might explicitly mention intimate physical relationships is fine.

Translations are sought and poetry from diverse cultures.

The poetry you submit should be good. It should continue the traditions of poetic art that have come down to us and which we value and enjoy today.

Lucid Rhythms will appear tri-annually--in August, December, and April.

Deadline for this submission period is June 30.