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Dear Poets:
I invite you to take note of the following three opportunities for having your work published on Jerry Jazz Musician:
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The second edition of Kinds of Cool: A Collection of Jazz Poetry, will be published in book form in October, 2025.
This anthology will be edited by Jerry Jazz Musician, and will be published in partnership with Unsolicited Press, an independent press based in Portland, Oregon. You can visit their website by clicking here. The first volume of Kinds of Cool was published by Unsolicited in January, 2025, and can be viewed by clicking here.
The mission for Unsolicited Press in 2025 is to “empower, celebrate and support womxn in writing.” Because I would like to be a part of this mission, the second edition of Kinds of Cool will feature womxn poets only.
Submission guidelines:
All styles of poetry will be considered, but the poems must have a “jazz-theme.” If you have questions about what that means, I suggest you visit this page for a wealth of examples.
Submissions open on April 1, 2025. Submission deadline is May 15, 2025.
Only previously unpublished poems will be considered. Please limit your submissions to five poems.
Jazz-themed poems previously submitted to Jerry Jazz Musician that have not yet been published need to be re-submitted to be considered for this anthology.
Please submit your poems on a Microsoft Word (or equivalent) document and attach them to an email sent to [email protected], with a subject titled “Poems to consider for Kinds of Cool, Vol. 2.” Combine all your submissions on to one document, please. Poems submitted in any other fashion may not be considered.
Brief poet biographies will be included in the “contributors” section at the conclusion of the book. Therefore, when you submit your poems, include a biography that reads something like the following:
Jane Doe is a retired carpenter and the author of four poetry collections, one of which, “A Cat Named Dog” [Cat ‘n’ Mouse Press] was nominated for a 2022 Pushcart Prize.
The number of poems and poets published within the anthology will be determined by June 10, 2025, at which time poets will be notified of submissions status.
Payment to poets published within the anthology will be made in the form of one copy of the book.
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I sincerely hope womxn writers will consider submitting their poems. Future printed anthologies will once again be open to everyone.
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Submit an ekphrastic poem
I have long wanted to publish a collection of poetry inspired by one piece of visual art. For this initial collection, I have chosen this William Gottlieb’s 1947 photograph of Thelonious Monk, with art updated by photographer Rhonda R. Dorsett.
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There are no guidelines other than to write one poem and send it to [email protected] by July 1, 2025. The chosen submissions will be published soon after.
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New and ongoing collections on Jerry Jazz Musician
In addition to these two specific collections, jazz poetry is published on Jerry Jazz Musician on a regular basis, and I invite you to submit your work for consideration in the following ongoing features:
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The Sunday Poem – a weekly poem that includes the poet reading their work
“21 jazz poems on the 21st” – a monthly collection of 21 poems, published on the 21st of the month.
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Smaller collections are also (at times spontaneously) generated, and individual poems are also considered. So…the message I hope you receive is that I welcome your submissions at any time.
Thank you for reading, and for your interest in contributing to this growing community.
Sincerely,
Joe Maita
Editor/Publisher
Jerry Jazz Musician
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Click for:
Information about Kinds of Cool: An Interactive Collection of Jazz Poetry
More poetry on Jerry Jazz Musician
“Saharan Blues on the Seine,” Aishatu Ado’s winning story in the 68th Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest
More short fiction on Jerry Jazz Musician
Information about how to submit your poetry or short fiction
Subscribe to the (free) Jerry Jazz Musician quarterly newsletter
Helping to support the ongoing publication of Jerry Jazz Musician, and to keep it commercial-free (thank you!)
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Jerry Jazz Musician…human produced since 1999
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