Literary Journal

Catholic Poetry Room

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About the magazine

The Catholic Poetry Room is an online literary journal founded in 2018 by poet and editor Micah Bournes. It emerged from a desire to create a dedicated space for poetry that engages with Catholic spirituality, theology, and imagination, without being confined to overtly religious or devotional modes. The journal publishes both emerging and established poets, offering a platform for work that wrestles with faith, doubt, grace, and the sacramental nature of everyday life. Its mission is to foster a community of writers who take seriously the craft of poetry while exploring the intersections of art and belief.

Editorial focus

Christians, primarily Catholics, many of whom are new to poetry. The editors welcome all forms of poetry and are looking for work that reflects the author’s faith more by the poetic experience—voice, imagery, a heightened sense of language—than by preaching.

Poetry

Submitting your work

Reading periodJan 1 to Dec 31

Reading feeNo

PaymentNo payment

Response timeLess than 3 months

Simultaneous submissionsYes

Unsolicited submissionsYes

Before submitting, read several issues to understand the journal's range and tone. The editors value poems that are well-crafted, avoid cliché, and engage with Catholic themes in fresh, nuanced ways—whether through imagery, narrative, or formal experimentation. They are open to free verse and metrical poetry alike, but superficial piety or didacticism is unlikely to find a home here. Submit 3–5 poems in a single document, with a brief cover letter that includes your publication history if applicable. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but notify promptly if your work is accepted elsewhere. Response times vary, but generally fall within 2–3 months. The journal does not charge submission fees, and it acquires first serial rights.

We accept both new and previously published poetry and are looking for poems that are accessible to the average Catholic and show a strong connection between faith and everyday life, or break open Scripture in a new way for the reader. We welcome a wide range of poetic forms, from formal and free verse to ekphrastics, and are looking in general for a sense of heightened language, effective imagery, and an honest expression of the author’s spiritual journey.

Read official guidelines

Submission calls

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