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Submissions

We are open for our Fall 2022 issue, The Veil Between the Worlds. 

The Veil Between the Worlds

From October 1st through November 16th, we are accepting poetry for our issue The Veil Between the Worlds.

Give us your liminal, your dying-and-rising, your Eleusinian, your Innana, your Dionysian, your Samhain.

For this issue, we are only accepting formal poetry.

We will have no limit on the number of poems we will publish for this issue. Normally, we have a soft cap at 24.

Poetry

We publish original, unpublished poetry.

Simultaneous submissions are accepted. Please let us know immediately if your work is accepted elsewhere.

For your submission, please fill out our new  Google Form.

You may send up to four poems as a PDF or word file.

Feel free to address your submission to Wine Cellar Press, The Editor, The Vintner-In-Chief, Nathan, Mr. Dennis, or (if you’re hoping to really flatter him) The Rt. Hon. Nathan Dennis. He certainly doesn’t deserve it.

Composition

Each issue of Wine Cellar Press shall have 24 – 32 poems, granting equal space to structured and free-form poetry.

For The Veil Between the Worlds, we are only accepting formal poetry

Our vision

Wine Cellar Press is excited by re-examining, re-imagining, deconstructing, and re-constructing traditional forms to best fit our modern discourse. Wine Cellar Press is interested in contrasting formal verse with free-form poetry. Wine Cellar Press champions narrative poetry that has a clear vision. Wine Cellar Press upholds the beauty in the unbalanced and unperfect. Wine Cellar Press will release vintages when they’re ready. 

Response Time

Wine Cellar Press endeavors to respond to all submissions within one month. Please feel free to query after 45 days.

Expedited Response: Tips

Wine Cellar Press now offers Expedited Response (decision within three days) through our support page: BuyMeACoffee. Expedited responses cost $3.  

Please email over proof of purchase in your submission email.

Buy me a coffeeBuy me a coffee

Content

Wine Cellar Press does not place restrictions on literary content within reason. We firmly believe that a poet should use any and all necessary words to convey the subject at hand. Wine Cellar Press will not discriminate on the basis of political leanings within reason. The Vintner-In-Chief is a registered Democrat. Wine Cellar Press will publish poetry that takes a political stance different from that of the Vinter-In-Chief within reason. What is within reason?

  • Use of graphic, erotic, or otherwise intense language to convey an honest and necessary message.
  • Speaking truth to power.
  • Speaking your truth.
  • Showing your failures, your growth, your humanity.
  • Using poetry as a tool to heal.

Wine Cellar Press will not tolerate any poetry that deals in hatred, discrimination, or cruelty. What is not within reason? 

  • Use of any language to threaten or harm an individual, group, or faith.
  • Hate speech.
  • Punching down.
  • Any speech used to dismiss, subjugate, or invalidate an individual, group, or faith.
  • Anything not covered by the First Amendment.

Please, be considerate. Wine Cellar Press is open and welcome to all who extend grace and humanity. 

Subjective Taste

Wine Cellar Press, like all poetry presses, is run by fallible humans who have subjective taste. While we have been hesitant to spell out some of these subjective leanings for fear of stifling art and submissions, we figured we’d provide a little more color into the decision process.

Poetry styles that are less successful at Wine Cellar Press:

  • Derivative forms such as Golden Shovels and Centos
  • Novelty forms such as Abcedarians
  • Long poems that eschew stanzas

While we do champion reexamination, deconstruction, and rearticulation of form, we would request that these dramatic actions to form be purposeful and unique. If you choose to define your sonnet as simply 14 lines, and your sonnet crown as simply groups of stanzas of 14 lines, we ask that you have a thoughtful reason behind this reduction of form.

Having said all this, we love to have our tastes changed by something wonderful. 

Democracy Certification

Wine Cellar Press, above all, supports Democracy.

Wine Cellar Press will never tolerate anyone who supports sedition, coups, treason, or other attacks against Democracy, the United States, or other democratically elected governments.

By submitting to Wine Cellar Press, you certify that you have neither engaged in nor aided and abetted sedition, treason, attempted coups, or other attacks (physical or cyber) against Democracy, the United States, or any other democratically elected governments.

Democracy is the lifeblood of freedom. Stand proud for Democracy.