Impossible Archetype

is an international online journal of LGBTQ+ poetry. We welcome work from LGBTQ+ poets of all genders.

***SUBMISSIONS FOR ISSUE EIGHTEEN ARE OPEN NOW AND CLOSE ON 1ST AUGUST 2025. Submissions outside of this window will not be read.***

Anyone who submitted work for consideration for issues 1 – 17, whether you were accepted or not, are more than welcome to submit for issue 18 (and any future issues).

What We’re Looking For

Excellent poetry by LGBTQ+ folk. All styles and forms welcome, from page poetry, to experimental poetry, to slam poetry (although particular care here should be taken that it will work solely in a text format). We welcome submissions in English from all over the world.

Primarily, we’re looking for poetry that is striking, beautiful and musical. We are a journal that is not afraid of form – send us your villanelles, sonnets, and sestinas – neither are we afraid of unusual formatting or experimental work. We also like free verse. Basically we like all poetry BUT what is crucial to all submitted work is that it grabs us, that it has a depth of craft, musicality and passion. Send us impassioned pleas, captured moments, and distilled emotions.

All contributors must identify on the LGBTQ spectrum. Work submitted does not need to directly identify this (although it absolutely can!).

A good barometer of the breadth and variety of work we publish, and the kind of poetry that steals our hearts, is in our first issue, so give that a read if you haven’t do, but it your poem doesn’t fit that, fear not, send it anyway. We like what we like, and that might include your poem.

Submissions

Submit 1 – 4 poems to impossiblearchetype@gmail.com (there is no upper line length and we welcome longer work. Generally, a good rule of thumb is to keep the submission to under ten pages total).

Please format the subject line as follows:
Submission: x Poem/s by [INSERT NAME]
Submit all poems as an ONE attachment. Word files .doc or .docx only. No weird file types.
Please pay careful attention to the formatting of your poem, and use a standard font like Times New Roman. Work submitted will be considered the final draft.

Within the submission, please make sure to include
– your name (and, if different, your pen name)
– a biographical note (please keep this to 100 words or less).

We will respond to all submissions within two weeks of the submission window closing date (although work submitted earlier will most likely hear much, much quicker on a rolling basis). We are a journal that believes in responding as quickly as possible – we know whether we like work or not, and don’t intend to keep you hanging. Simultaneous submissions are fine.

Again, anyone who submitted work for consideration for previous issues, whether you were accepted or not, are more than welcome to submit for current and future issues.