Cream City Review, the literary journal affiliated with the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, positions itself as a venue for poetry that prizes vivid imagery, emotional candor, and formal experimentation. The editors articulate a clear aesthetic: they seek language that moves the poem and the poet, that does not evade feeling but interrogates the reasons we might shy away from it, and that demonstrates kinetic or potential energy—sometimes both. This is not a call for polite verse; it is an invitation to work that thinks, feels, and sounds with intention. The journal explicitly encourages submissions from poets of color, Indigenous poets, LGBTQ2S+ poets, and poets with disabilities, alongside any other world-views applicants bring. This stated commitment signals an editorial vision that values a diversity of perspectives not as a box to check but as essential to the vitality of contemporary poetics. The reading fee of $2.50 is modest and standard for many literary magazines; it supports the journal's operations but does not constitute a prize or contest entry. Submissions should consist of up to five poems in a single file, formatted in Times New Roman, with no length restrictions per piece. Files may be submitted as .doc, .docx, or PDF. There is no monetary prize or publication award attached to this call; acceptance results in publication in Cream City Review. The deadline is exact: November 1, 2026. Poets are advised to adhere strictly to the formatting and file-type guidelines to ensure their work is considered.