As an Arizona-based journal, Shō Poetry Journal offers free submissions to community-recognized members of tribal nations within the U.S. and its trust territories and to Indigenous Canadians (including First Nations, Inuit, and Métis poets).
We publish an eclectic range of poetry twice a year and release audio features on a rolling basis. We strive to champion voices that have been historically underrepresented or overlooked.
Each issue of Shō Poetry Journal features 40 to 50 poets, many of whom are emerging or early-career poets. Our tastes are eclectic. We welcome poetry that engages us with energy, clarity, and vulnerability, with a focus on voice and image.
Shō No. 8 will be published in Winter 2025/26.
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Submit up to five previously unpublished poems at a time. Our average response time is 2 weeks. We attempt to respond to all submissions within 30 days. Read our full submission guidelines here.
Shō Poetry Journal is a print journal. Payment is one contributor’s copy. US-based authors also receive a discount on the purchase of extra copies.
All work accepted for publication from US residents will be considered for the Shō Poetry Prize (best poem in issue) and the Sita Martin Prize (best poem by an emerging poet). Each winner receives $150 and a one-year subscription to Shō Poetry Journal. A runner-up in each category receives a one-year subscription.
