Mused - the BellaOnline Literary Review has no particular requirements as to form or genre. We like poetry that surprises us, twists us up and gets under our skin and in our hearts. Quality precludes form and genre in every instance, so send us your very best work and if we like it, we'll print it.
Do you need some inspiration? Here are just a few types of poetry from around the world!
Cinquain - A five line poem about an incident. Line 1 is a one word title. Line 2 is a two word summary. Line 3 is a 3 word description of what happened. Line 4 is a four word description of how you felt. Line 5 is a final summary.
Haiku - Japanese unrhymed poetry traditionally created with 5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables. Usually a haiku refers to a moment in nature.
Limerick - A funny poem with 5 lines. Lines 1, 2 and 5 have 7-10 syllables and rhyme. Lines 3 and 4 have 5-7 syllables and rhyme with each other.
Rhymed vs Unrhymed
We enjoy poetry that is rhymed as well as unrhymed poetry. It's important to keep in mind that if you start out with a rhyming poem of a certain rhythm, that it tends to confuse people if you suddenly stop rhyming or lose the rhythm. If you write a poem that reads:
Whose woods these are I think I know
His house is in the village though
Hey, maybe he will not notice that I paused for a moment
To see what is going on.
That loss of rhythm tends to be jarring. The best way to work on your poem is to read it aloud. Recite it to friends and family, and see how it rolls off the tongue. It can take time to "polish" a work until it flows smoothly - this is how you turn a rock into a gemstone!
Spelling and Grammar
Be sure to spell check your submission. We expect entries to be polished and in publishable shape. If you have numerous spelling errors in your work, it indicates to us that your work is not yet ready for publication.
Be sure to also check for common typos. If you are writing a contraction of "it is", there is always an apostrophe, "it's". If you are using any other use of "its" there is no apostrophe.
It's misty and tranquil this spring morning; let's go for a stroll along the beach.
Its hue a sickly yellow, the moon faded in and out of view behind a billowing raincloud.
Originality
We get hundreds of entries for Mused, and often they cover common themes. You miss a loved person and want to see them again. You are growing and changing and have to accept the alterations. Life is difficult but you can persevere. These are wonderful thoughts, but remember that we have already read them many times. If your poem is very basic - "I miss him. He has been gone for so long. When can I see him again?" then it is the same as tens (sometimes hundreds!) of other poems. Your poem will not stand out.
Make sure your poem is unique to you and your situation. Are you pining away in the dusty basement, gazing through a grime-smeared window? Are you sadly desolate on a sunny hilltop, sitting beneath the apple tree where you shared your last picnic? Are you morosely walking down a flight of concrete stairs into the depths of a subway platform, turning your head to avoid the stench of pee from the wooden bench? It is all of those specific details that help the reader really connect to YOUR experience, to learn why your heartbreak or joy or resolution is individual and visceral.
Think about the details. Yes, hair can "blow" in the wind. That is a generic, non-specific image. Hair can more explicitly curl delicately in a breeze, whip like a flag in a gale, stream gently behind you, rise playfully in a gust. Paint a visual image for your reader, let them know exactly what you mean.
Entry Details
Submissions should be limited to four poems for a given issue. Each poem should not exceed 40 lines in length.
BellaOnline is a world wide publication read by people of all ages and all cultural backgrounds. Because of that we cannot run any sexual content or profanities.
Poetry Submission Form
Main Submission Guidelines
By far the best way to get an idea of what our literary review is looking for is to peruse our past issues!
Archive of Past Issues
