YOUR
WORDS MEAN
EVERYTHING
Icemother ✦ solemn sinewbound sleeps in midnight sun slinkmelts the stone ✦ in the light sableswathe laid down for the hunter ✦ lost in the swirl and skirl of dreamtime gentle soft she rises ✦ stretching cracking leaping singing birthed in dawntime ✦ rough hands lifting her leather skin skywards ✦ blueblack womb riptorn gouged and stripped ✦ creepsteal and break the hunting ground creepsteal and break ✦ the keeper of secrets sleeps in midnight sun solemn sinewbound ✦
Icemother ✦ solemn sinewbound sleeps in midnight sun slinkmelts the stone ✦ in the light sableswathe laid down for the hunter ✦ lost in the swirl and skirl of dreamtime gentle soft she rises ✦ stretching cracking leaping singing birthed in dawntime ✦ rough hands lifting her leather skin skywards ✦ blueblack womb riptorn gouged and stripped ✦ creepsteal and break the hunting ground creepsteal and break ✦ the keeper of secrets sleeps in midnight sun solemn sinewbound ✦
rhythm RHYME WORDS aND SPACE
Cambridge Poetry is a new magazine dedicated to exploring the sound, shape, image, and meaning of words.
We believe in the power of words to make a meaningful difference.
Cambridge Poetry welcomes writing from everyone without exception.
Our submission process is neurodivergent friendly, and we welcome submissions at any time.
THE
FORMAT
Cambridge Poetry is both an online magazine distributed in web version, PDF form, high definition PDF form and, for those who wish to have a printed version, it will soon be possible to purchase one on demand.
We welcome not only poems but also submissions of artwork, short prose, illustrations, and experimental poetry formats—whatever is interesting, we would like to see it.
WHY WE ARE
HERE
01
ABOUT THE MAGAZINE
Cambridge Poetry Magazine came about from a desire to promote high-quality writing that not only reads well on the page but sounds great, looks great, and feels resonant. To us, how words feel in the mouth, appear to the eye, and connect with our experience is just as important.
This doesn’t necessarily mean work has to be experimental or strange – though we love that too – it means that we want the shape, rhythm, and experience of words to be meaningful and powerful.
This philosophy includes a perfectly formed Shakespearean sonnet as much as an avant-garde calligram. We are open to all forms of expression. After all, simplicity is its own form of beauty.
02
OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY
We are highly receptive to writing from individuals who might find the process of submitting work for publishing difficult. In particular, we think here of individuals with ADHD/ADD, dyslexia, mental health or other struggles which make it hard to get work out there.
The editors know, from personal experience, how hard it can be to send work at the exact month required, in the exact format required, to choose what poems to send, to make a decision about whether this is actually any good or not… the list is endless!
To this end, our submissions process is designed to make it easy for you to submit in the best form for you, at a time that suits you, with as few restrictions as possible. This does make it harder at our end, but that’s ok, we read fast!
A note for neurodivergent community writers… we believe that our struggles and disabilities do not define who we are as people. Because of this, we are interested in work from the community that views the world through the lens of that experience rather than being specifically on the topic of that experience. Clearly, we won’t reject a good poem which draws on lived experience—but we don’t want to be a magazine that only speaks to that experience. That said, send us your best stuff!
We are interested to hear from new and unpublished writers just as much as established writers.
We are very much interested in works in translation, so long as the correct permissions have been established or the copyright has expired.
Equally, we are very much open to submissions in all variants of the English language.
We exclude no-one and attempt to publish work which reflects the full balanced diversity of our global community.
03
OUR EDITORIAL POLICY
As part of our commitment to working with new and neurodivergent community writers, we accept work for publication in two forms to enable us to suit the style of the magazine:
Accepted with minor or no changes
Accepted with changes
In the first case, we will accept the work as submitted—subject to clarifying any typographical or grammatical questions.
In the second case, we will give feedback to ensure that, if the writing were to be published, it will suit the style of the magazine.
The magazine is published bi-annually. More often, if the volume of submissions warrants it.
We welcome works of poetry, short fiction, micro-fiction, art, illustration, music, essay, and criticism.
We cannot afford to pay for submissions. We may choose to charge for submissions in the future if the volume of submissions requires it. Exceptions will be made in appropriate cases.
We are very happy to publish work that has previously been published, but we do require proof that the rights to republish rest with you.
