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“I write only because
There is a voice within me
That will not be still”
Sylvia Plath

Little Intimacy — a book of being on the same page, literally and metaphorically. Read more.

This theme is open for submissions until 31 December, 2022.

Thank you to all who have submitted.

GUEST EDITOR for our theme On the Same Page is Katherine Parsons, author of Little Intimacy (Frosted Fire, 2022). We will publish the poems that Katherine recommends on the first days of 2023

The poems on this theme, published so far, are here.

The first poem in Katherine’s pamphlet introduces your prompt for this theme. Send us poems relating to empathy, understanding, collaboration, and love. Maybe you identify with issues on a global scale, or to those particular to your country, your family. Perhaps you only find common ground with one other person. Are your feelings reciprocated? Are there barriers to you speaking out? Tell us how you circumvent such difficulties. Share your understanding of togetherness.

You and I

We are together, reading.
Our voices meet beneath the hush
whispers reaching across
from pillow and chest
to find a waiting head.
We’ve reached the end of a section
you don’t see the point of.
We are groping our way back to synchronicity.

You can read the whole poem here.

We’re looking for poems on any aspect of being On the Same Page that grab our attention, that pull our heart strings, leave us open-mouthed or holding our breath, make us think, make us laugh or cry, and/or are strikingly original. In short, poems that excite us enough to share them with wildfire words readers.

Click here for the submission form

Submissions are free and will be accepted up to 11:59 pm on 31 December.

During this submission window, each poet may make one submission as a single file containing 1, 2, or 3 poems. Poems can be in any form, but no longer than 40 lines including stanza breaks. Do, please, supply a mini-bio of 50 words max to be published alongside your poem. We also encourage you to submit an audio recording of your poem(s) made on your phone, laptop, or tablet.

If we publish your poem, we will also publish your bio and consider your recording for publication. When we publish any poem that does not have an audio publication we will offer the poet an opportunity to record it in a Zoom open mic session for wildfire words published poets.

When you submit, your poetry will automatically be acknowledged within minutes of when you upload it using the form below.

We aim to choose and publish successful submissions by 6 January 2023. Names of chosen poets are listed at the top of the feature as soon as they are published. Because of the volume of submissions, it is seldom practicable to notify poets if their work has not been published.

Submitted poems must be your own original work, in English. Where an original poet teams up with a translator into English, we will consider publishing the work, provided biographies of both original poet and translator are provided. For this theme, we accept poems that have previously been published, provided you have full control of the copyright.

If your work is published in wildfire words ezine, it will be on a non-exclusive basis for at least one year. The copyright remains yours for all poems, bios, and audio recordings you submit for publication.

Your submission is welcome

We aim to be inclusive of poets worldwide. We respect all people and their well-being, beliefs, individuality, and free speech, and expect the same from other poets. We’ll publish any poem that adds fresh creative spice to the poetry in this open submissions feature — 40 lines maximum, including stanza breaks. We’ll evaluate your poetic jewel, whether it’s a cut and polished dazzler or a rough stone with some interesting lustre. So please don’t hesitate to submit. And we’d love to hear your gem, too, if you send a recording or attend one of the online recording sessions mentioned on the form.
Please include your biography in no more than 50 words with regard to poetry, and include your website and/or Facebook/Twitter name.

Donation option. If you would like to support the sustainability of wildfire words, a non-profit organization providing publication opportunities for poets worldwide, you can do so on this form. Please note that Guest Editor Katherine Parsons will choose the poems to be published with no knowledge of whether their author has donated.

Marilyn Timms, Co-Editor