Poetry Links & Resources

Literary Community Connections

The contemporary poetry world thrives on connection and community. These curated links connect you to essential literary magazines, writing organizations, and resources for both readers and writers of confessional poetry.

Major Poetry Organizations

Academy of American Poets

Website: poets.org
The largest organization dedicated to celebrating poets and poetry in America. Offers daily poems, educational resources, and information about prizes and awards.

Poetry Foundation

Website: poetryfoundation.org
Publishes Poetry Magazine and maintains extensive archives, audio recordings, and educational materials. Essential resource for serious poetry readers.

Poets & Writers

Website: pw.org
Offers resources for emerging and established writers including submission opportunities, grants database, and craft articles.

Literary Magazines Publishing Confessional Poetry

Established Journals

Ploughshares - One of America's most prestigious literary magazines, consistently publishing powerful confessional and personal poetry.

The American Poetry Review - Tabloid-format bimonthly featuring established and emerging voices in contemporary poetry.

Poetry Magazine - The oldest American poetry journal (founded 1912), published by the Poetry Foundation.

Tin House - Portland-based magazine known for edgy contemporary work across genres.

Online & Independent Journals

The Rumpus - Online publication with strong poetry section and commitment to diverse voices.

Guernica - Magazine of global arts and politics with excellent poetry coverage.

DIAGRAM - Innovative journal exploring intersections of text, image, and form.

Writing Resources

For Craft Development

Poetry Daily - Curates one poem per day from literary magazines and books, offering exposure to contemporary work.

Verse Daily - Similar mission to Poetry Daily, showcasing diverse contemporary voices.

Split This Rock - Organization dedicated to poetry of provocation and witness, particularly focused on social justice.

Educational Resources

Poetry Out Loud - National recitation contest for high school students, with extensive educational materials.

The Poetry Archive - Audio recordings of poets reading their work, invaluable for hearing how poems sound.

Finding Opportunities

Submission Tracking

Duotrope - Comprehensive database of literary markets with submission tracker (subscription required).

NewPages - Free directory of independent publishers, literary magazines, and alternative periodicals.

Grants & Prizes

Council of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP) - Nonprofit supporting independent literary publishers.

Foundation for Contemporary Arts - Provides grants to innovative artists including poets.

Community & Events

Reading Series

Check local bookstores, libraries, and universities for poetry reading series in your area. Attending readings connects you with local literary communities and exposes you to contemporary voices.

Conferences

AWP Conference - The Association of Writers & Writing Programs hosts the largest annual gathering of writers, featuring hundreds of panels, readings, and bookfairs.

Split This Rock Poetry Festival - Biennial festival celebrating poetry of provocation and witness in Washington, DC.

Bookstores Supporting Poetry

Support independent bookstores that champion poetry:

City Lights Books (San Francisco)
The Strand (New York)
Powell's Books (Portland)
Seminary Co-op (Chicago)

Most cities have independent bookstores with strong poetry sections and reading series. Supporting these spaces helps sustain the literary ecosystem.

Social Media & Online Communities

Connect with poets and poetry communities online:

Twitter/X: Active poetry community using hashtags like #poetrycommunity and #amwriting
Instagram: Vibrant visual poetry scene, though be wary of oversimplification
Discord: Various poetry-focused servers for workshopping and discussion

Our Community

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Keep Exploring

The contemporary poetry landscape is vast and constantly evolving. These links provide starting points, but the best way to discover your place in the literary community is through active engagement - reading, writing, attending events, and connecting with other poets who share your aesthetic values.