Poems from Literary Magazines That I Stumbled Across and Loved (12.12.2023)

A bookstore in Seattle

Rings of Saturn by Karan Kapoor

Published in Banshee Press

What I loved:

The use of slashes to alter the speed of reading, how legible the dynamics between the speaker, Ma, and the father immediately are, the way celestial bodies are brought into the earthly realm, and the sharpness of the last two lines.

About Banshee:

• Banshee is both a literary journal and a small press
• The literary journal is published twice a year and accepts short stories, flash fiction, poetry, and personal essays
• Submissions are currently closed but they accept simultaneous submissions and (I believe) submissions are free

I Had Been Called Upon for Something by Laura Goldin

Published in Apple Valley Review

What I loved:

The concision of the language, the way Goldin’s speaker trusts the reader to come to their own conclusions, the way things return and twist.

About Apple Valley Review:

• Founded in 2005 by Leah Browning (the current editor)
• Published online and free to read
• Nominates published pieces for literary prizes
• Free to submit (via email)

Among the Quadi by Marchiano

Published in Angel Rust

What I loved:

There’s Texas Hill-country, soil, and motel curtains, the line breaks are urgent, and the intimacy between the speaker and the person to whom the poem is addressed is mesmerizing.

About Angel Rust:

• Queer-led
• Has an incredible aesthetic
• Submissions are currently closed but when they are open (I believe they are free)