Wax Poetry and Art

01/11/2026

Attn Poets! Poetry Contests Closing January 14th:
(Visit https://waxpoetryart.com/submissions.html to access the contests.)

Special Contest:
Legends of Shakespeare's Pen - Paying! (all others, non-paying)

Poetry Contest
– Submissions are open to everyone.

Representing all ages of poets:
-Over 50 Poetry Contest
-25 to 50 Poetry Contest
-Under 25 Poetry Contest
-Young Poets (18 & under)

Special Themes:
-Rhyming Poetry Contest
-Socially Engaged Poetry Contest
-Haiku Contest

https://waxpoetryart.com/submissions.html

Wax Poetry and Art publishes poetry from around the world.

01/04/2026

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS - Closing January 14th, 2026

Attn: Poets, Artists, Photographers, Playwrights, and Fiction Writers!

Extra for Poets: Haiku, Spoken Word, and Young Poets!

The next submission period for Wax Poetry and Art publications closes on January 14th, 2026.

Explore international submission opportunities in all main artistic genres at waxpoetryart.com. Non-paying, open to everyone. Read guidelines to submit.

& Coming on January 15th, the Poetry World Cup!

https://waxpoetryart.com/

Wax Poetry and Art publishes poetry, photography, visual art, and fiction from around the world.

12/23/2025

Note About Duotrope "Disqualification"

Being an independent publisher has challenges. In 2020 I was dealing with a serious, personal family situation and I was forced to stop my publishing activities. When I restarted later that year, I discoverd that Duotrope had imposed a permanent ban on listing Wax Poetry and Art publications and contests due to "too many disqualified and/or believed defunct projects." This was initially heartbreaking for me, as I always valued Duotrope, even though it wasn't necessarily a huge source of submissions. Upon reflection, I have the right to care for my family and not suffer professional consequences. Despite being banned, my publications have thrived.

Duotrope's decision to ban Wax Poetry and Art publications, ultimately is most harmful to the Duotrope community, many of whom are being denied submission opportunities that cater exclusively to them.

Sincerely,

Kirk Ramdath
Publisher

12/21/2025

"A Prelude to Christmas" by Joseph C. Ogbonna.

On the day of the Winter Solstice, Here is a festive poem to enjoy as we settle in for Christmas. Winner of Weekly Poems Contest #25.

Weekly Poems #25, 'A Prelude to Christmas' by Joseph C. Ogbonna, poet from Enugu, Enugu State, Nigeria.

12/17/2025

Poetry World Cup 2026 arrives on January 15th, 2026!

SAVE THE DATE! Poetry World Cup 2026 will commence on January 15th, 2026 at waxpoetryart.com. Find out which countries, poets, and poems have won their place as a Poetry World Cup Finalist.

This unique, fun, international celebration of poetry brings the world together to read, enjoy, and share poetry.

Coming January 15th, 2026!

https://waxpoetryart.com/

Wax Poetry and Art publishes poetry, photography, visual art, and fiction from around the world.

12/14/2025

Christmas Theme
for the Weekly Poems Contest

Submissions of brand new Christmas poems are invited for the final Weekly Poems Contest of 2025.

Write a brand new short poem on the theme of Christmas and submit by Saturday, December 20th, for publication on Sunday, December 21st.

The poem must be submitted within seven days of being started, and 20 lines of text or less. Open to everyone.

Experience the thrills of the Weekly Poems Contest, Christmas theme. Non-paying. Rad the guidelines to submit.

Weekly Poems is home of the poetic concept of the weeklypoem, a short poem written, edited, and submitted or published within seven days. Read submission guidelines on this page.

12/14/2025

"Autumn Walk", poem by Zahir Turaj (Netherlands), strikes the melancholic chord that comes with season's changing.
Read the winner of this week's Weekly Poems Contest.

Weekly Poems #24, 'Autumn Walk' by Zahir Turaj, poet from Zeewolde, Flevoland, Netherlands.

12/11/2025

IRELAND Poets can now submit to Ireland Poetry Magazine!

Wax Poetry and Art has launched a new publication specifically for the people of Ireland! All people of Ireland are invited to submit.

No initial payment, but there are some cool things like an Artist Page and Poetry World Cup qualification. Read the guidelines to submit. Submissions open all year with cutoff dates.

Next submission deadline is January 14th, 2026.

Ireland Poetry Magazine publishes new poems by poets from Ireland. Read submission guidelines.

12/09/2025

CALLING ALL WRITERS & ARTISTS

waxpoetryart.com is the website for people who love poetry, art, photography, fiction, and plays. Explore international submission opportunities in all main artistic genres.

For poetry, it goes even deeper, with special publications for haiku and spoken word.

Submit your creative work to an artist-run online platform with readers from dozens of countries around the world.

No initial payment, but can qualify for certain cash prizes. Read the guidelines to submit. The current submission period closes on January 14th, 2026. (Except for the Weekly Poems Contest, which runs weekly!)

https://waxpoetryart.com/

Wax Poetry and Art publishes poetry, photography, visual art, and fiction from around the world.

12/07/2025

SWAV Poetry is here!

Spoken Word, Audio, and Video (SWAV) poetry has a new literary home.

Audio and video-based poets around the world are invited to submit. Non-paying. Read the guidelines to submit.

SWAV Poetry is an international network of poetry magazines for spoken word, audio, and video poetry, and the home of the SWAV Poetry World Cup. Read submission guidelines on this page.

12/07/2025

"Dreams Still Unborn"
by Clarisse Terblanche (South Africa)

Life was pregnant
with perfect promises.
They rode on empty, ignorant bliss,
but now I'm left in a blurred abyss –

Read the full poem in Weekly Poems:

Weekly Poems #23, 'Dream Still Unborn' by Clarisse Terblanche, poet from Stellenbosch, Western Cape, South Africa.