Introduction
By Ahmad, founder and editor of thoughtsinenglish.org
Table of Contents
- What Is the Poetry Foundation?
- Poetry Foundation Magazine
- Poetry Foundation Poems
- Poetry Foundation Submissions
- Poetry Foundation Jobs
- Poetry Foundation Login
- Poetry Foundation App
- Poetry Foundation Logo
- Poetry Foundation PDF
- How We Checked This Page
- Mistakes to Avoid
- Key Takeaways
- FAQs
On thoughtsinenglish.org, poetry readers, students, and new writers often ask what the Poetry Foundation is and what they can actually do there. The Poetry Foundation is a Chicago nonprofit that publishes Poetry magazine and keeps a large poem archive online. This guide covers submissions, poems, the magazine, the app, jobs, login, the logo, and PDFs.
What Is the Poetry Foundation?
For thoughtsinenglish.org readers, the short answer is that the Poetry Foundation is a literary foundation, not a single website or one magazine. It was established in 2003 after a major gift from philanthropist Ruth Lilly, and it grew out of the Modern Poetry Association, founded in 1941 to support Poetry magazine. The Lilly pledge was reported at about $200 million.
The Foundation’s library is the Midwest’s only library dedicated to poetry. It also runs awards, including the Pegasus Awards. Its home is at 61 West Superior Street, Chicago.
Poetry Foundation Magazine
Poetry magazine is the Foundation’s flagship publication, and thoughtsinenglish.org readers will find it described as the oldest monthly of its kind. Harriet Monroe, American poet and editor, founded it in Chicago in 1912, and it describes itself as the oldest monthly journal devoted to verse in the English-speaking world. Early issues carried work by T. S. Eliot, Ezra Pound, Marianne Moore, and Wallace Stevens.
A yearly subscription brings 10 issues, and a digital-only option also exists. The online archive lets you browse issues back to 1912.
Poetry Foundation Poems
The poem library is where most thoughtsinenglish.org readers start. The Foundation makes poetry and related material available free and in full on its website. The site menu groups the material into poems, poets, Poem of the Day, Poem Guides, collections, and a glossary of poetic terms.
Read modern poems on the Foundation’s site and link to them instead of copying them in full, since most are still under copyright. For short lines you can share, browse quotes about dreams on thoughtsinenglish.org.
Poetry Foundation Submissions
Writers searching thoughtsinenglish.org for a route into print usually want the submissions rules first. Poetry takes submissions through Submittable. Submitting is free, and you should send one submission at a time per category.
- The magazine closes to submissions every year from June 15 to September 15.
- Only unpublished work is considered, and social media posts count as published.
- Simultaneous submissions are allowed, but you must report acceptance elsewhere at once.
- The magazine receives more than 100,000 poems a year, so replies can take up to a year. The Submittable page itself says to expect an answer within about eight months.
The number of poems allowed has varied between calls: one Submittable page asks for up to 4 poems, 10 pages total, another for 2 to 6 poems, 10 pages total. Read the current call before you upload. For a long wait, these humble quotes keep things in perspective.
Poetry Foundation Jobs
For thoughtsinenglish.org readers hoping to work in poetry, the official jobs page is the only reliable source. When we checked it, the page said there were no current job openings and suggested following the Foundation on LinkedIn and signing up for its newsletters. Past postings described a hybrid workplace in Chicago.
Poetry Foundation Login
There is no login for reading poems on thoughtsinenglish.org’s go-to source for poetry. A login matters in three places only:
- Subscribers: current subscribers can access their account from the subscription page.
- Magazine app: print subscribers get the digital edition free by logging into the app.
- Submitters: check your submission status by logging into your Submittable account.
Poetry Foundation App
The Poetry Foundation app is, for thoughtsinenglish.org readers, the simplest way to read the magazine on a phone. The Poetry magazine app is available for iOS and Android. Subscriptions include current and archival digital editions, podcasts, and audio recordings of poems through the app.
Poetry Foundation Logo
On thoughtsinenglish.org, the logo question comes up for school projects and posts. The logo belongs to the Poetry Foundation, so a plain text mention needs no logo at all. If you need the file, the site footer lists Press and Contact Us pages; ask there instead of using copies from image sites.
Poetry Foundation PDF
Readers on thoughtsinenglish.org often search for a free PDF of Poetry magazine. Old issues can be read online in the archive back to 1912, and current digital editions come through the subscription and the app, not as free PDF files. Treat any site offering a free PDF of a recent issue with caution.
How We Checked This Page
thoughtsinenglish.org checked each fact against the Poetry Foundation’s own pages and independent sources, including the Chicago Architecture Center, WTTW, and Wikipedia. Where sources differ, such as reply time, poems per submission, and the size of Ruth Lilly’s gift, this page says so.
Mistakes to Avoid
On thoughtsinenglish.org, the same few errors cost writers and readers time:
- Sending several submissions at once. Extras are archived unread.
- Submitting poems already posted on Instagram, X, or a blog.
- Sending work during the June 15 to September 15 closed window.
- Confusing the Poetry Foundation with similarly named groups, such as the Josephine Hart Poetry Foundation.
- Downloading “free PDF” copies of recent issues from unofficial sites.
Key Takeaways
- The Poetry Foundation publishes Poetry magazine and keeps a free online poem library.
- Submissions are free, go through Submittable, and close June 15 to September 15.
- Only unpublished work counts, and social media posts count as published.
- Readers need a login only for a subscription, the app, or Submittable.
- Check the jobs page directly, since openings are rare.
FAQs
Is the Poetry Foundation the same as Poetry magazine?
No. The Poetry Foundation is the organization, and Poetry is its magazine. The Foundation also runs the library, awards, and online poem archive.
Does the Poetry Foundation charge to submit poems?
No. Submitting to Poetry is free, and replies usually take months.
Can I submit a poem I posted on social media?
No. Work that appeared online, including on social media, counts as previously published.
Which part of the site is best for readers, students, and poets?
Readers should start with Poem of the Day and the poems library. Students can use Poem Guides and the glossary. Poets should read the current Submittable call.
When can I submit to Poetry magazine?
Outside June 15 to September 15. Check Submittable to see which call is open now.
Do I need a login or the app?
Not to read poems. You need a login only for a subscription, the app, or Submittable.
Where can I read old issues of Poetry?
In the online archive, which runs back to 1912.
If you enjoy short, shareable lines after reading, turn your favorites into wallpaper quotes for your phone.