Literary Journal

Two Cardinals Literary

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About the magazine

Two Cardinals Literary is an online journal founded on the principle that literature thrives in the space between tradition and experimentation. Established as a digital-first publication, it has cultivated a reputation for curating work that is formally adventurous yet emotionally resonant, often highlighting voices that exist at the margins of contemporary letters. The journal's ethos is rooted in a belief that the most vital writing emerges from a dialectic of rigor and risk, and its issues are assembled with an eye toward thematic coherence without sacrificing idiosyncrasy.

Editorial focus

Two Cardinals Literary is an online poetry magazine celebrating multidimensional poetry and publishing twice per calendar year (winter and summer). Poetry that is compelling emotionally and contextually, personally and universally, structurally and imagistically. They uplift writing of discovery and rediscovery that occurs in poems, leaving readers in a place that is somehow new or different from when they first arrived, pushing them to consider how it is that they have arrived here and what has changed in the process.

Poetry

Submitting your work

Reading periodSep 1 to Oct 31

Reading feeNo

PaymentContributor copies only

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 balances lyricism with narrative tension, and it is less interested in straightforward realism or genre pastiche. Cover letters should be brief and focused on the work itself; the editors value concision and are unlikely to be swayed by lengthy publication lists. Simultaneous submissions are accepted, but please withdraw promptly if accepted elsewhere. Response times vary, but queries after three months are reasonable.

All are encouraged to read their Poets’ Guidelines and issues one and two. Lines that do not exceed forty characters (about half a Word Doc page) are preferred; only these poems will fit on their typewriter. Shorter poems (max twenty-five lines) are also generally preferred for this reason, though not required. If issues arise around formatting, they can work individually with authors. Poems that engage in violence, misogyny, racism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, or any forms of bigotry will not be considered. Two Cardinals Literary creates space for people of all identities and especially helping break down barriers for historically underrepresented groups, including but not limited to queer and BIPOC voices.

Read official guidelines

Submission calls

1 listed

OpenDeadline · 2026-10-31