Literary Journal

MockingHeart Review

Open now

Journals & literary magazines1 open opportunity listed

About the magazine

MockingHeart Review is an online literary journal founded in 2015 by poet and editor Clare L. Martin. Based in Louisiana, the journal publishes poetry, short fiction, and visual art on a rolling basis, with a particular openness to work that engages with the complexities of place, memory, and the natural world. Its founding ethos is one of generous attention: the review seeks writing that is emotionally resonant and formally alert, without demanding allegiance to any single school or trend. The journal has maintained a consistent quarterly rhythm, featuring both emerging and established voices, and has become a reliable venue for work that might be described as lyrical, grounded, and quietly ambitious.

Editorial focus

MockingHeart Review is an online journal of poetry and artwork. Founded as a poetry magazine in 2015 by Louisiana poet Clare L. Martin, MHR is now under the editorship of poet and critic Tyler Robert Sheldon. The aesthetic is ever expanding, and since 2019, the journal features fine poetry and artwork alike.

Poetry

Submitting your work

Reading periodDec 1 to Dec 31

Reading feeNo

PaymentNo payment

Response timeLess than 3 months

Simultaneous submissionsYes

Unsolicited submissionsYes

Before submitting, read at least one full issue to understand the journal's aesthetic range—it favors work that is vivid, precise, and unafraid of feeling. Submit only during open reading periods, which are announced on the website and social media; simultaneous submissions are generally accepted, but notify the editors immediately if your work is placed elsewhere. Include a brief, professional cover letter with your contact information and a short bio. Proofread meticulously: the review values clean, well-edited manuscripts. Expect response times of several weeks to a few months; query politely only after three months. Do not send more than the stated maximum of poems or stories per submission, and avoid work that relies on shock value or dense academic jargon without grounding.

Please send: poems that express the complexities of the human heart in clear, precise, lyrical language. We want poems that call out to us, that won’t let us sleep or turn away; poems that gleam and palpitate with intimacy. We hope for visionary works that are visceral and that will leave us emotionally undone. We believe metaphors. We are especially intrigued by imaginative, imagistic language that melds the real to the surreal. We question reality. So can your poems.

Read official guidelines

Submission calls

1 listed

OpenDeadline · 2026-12-01