Four and Twenty

Let’s figure this one out:
If I write four lines
with five words per line,
that gives me twenty words.

~By Roger Legon

POETRY SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Four and Twenty welcomes submissions that artfully handle short form poetry. The guidelines are simple. All poems must be four lines or fewer in length and contain no more than twenty words (hence, Four and Twenty). All submissions are judged on the author’s ability to create a vivid picture, evoke an emotional response, and use creative wordplay. All poetic forms that fit the journal’s guidelines (such as haiku, senryu, sapphic, and tanaga) are welcome, but authors are not limited to these forms. There is no set theme for the journal; however, we strive to publish poems that fit the season in which they are published. If you submit a poem about pumpkins for the December issue, it will most likely get rejected, no matter how much we like it.

We accept submissions on an ongoing basis. Once submitted, poems are considered for the issue set to release two months out. Our submission calendar is posted at the bottom of this page.

Four and Twenty is published for a general audience of poetry lovers, so out of deference to our younger readers (and their parents) we ask for no erotica or gratuitous profanity.

By submitting your work to us, you agree to the terms posted in the “Rights and Permissions” section below.

ARTWORK SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Artists submitting work to be considered as cover art may submit up to three original images. Images that tell a story or give a strong sense of place are of particular interest to us. We are partial to illustrations, but will also consider photos. Please note that landscape-oriented artwork that can be cropped to fit a 7” x 3.9” space works best with our journal’s design.

We accept submissions on an ongoing basis. Once submitted, images are considered for the issue set to release two months out. Our submission calendar is posted at the bottom of this page.

All artwork is subject to the same rights agreement as the poetry we publish.

HOW TO SUBMIT
Please submit a maximum of four poems or three images in one month to us via our online submission manager.

If your poems contain special formatting or accompanying images, you can submit them directly to {submissions at 4and20poetry dot com} in an attached Word, JPEG, TIFF, or PDF file.

RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS
By submitting your poetry to Four and Twenty, you attest that your writing is your own original creation and that your submitted poem or poems have not appeared in any other publication.

You also agree to the following terms by virtue of submitting to Four and Twenty:

If your writing is selected for publication, we ask for first North American serial rights and first electronic rights. In addition, we ask that none of the accepted writing appear anywhere online or in print in North America for thirty days after its exclusive appearance on our website. After this period, reproduction rights revert back to the writer. We also ask for the right to archive your work on our website for one year after the initial publication. (You are free to publish your work elsewhere after the exclusive thirty-day publication time has elapsed.) In any subsequent release of the material (online or in print), we ask that you acknowledge Four and Twenty.

Currently, there is no print edition of the journal. In the event of a print anthology, reproduction of your work will be subject to a separate agreement. At this time we offer no compensation for accepted work.

SUBMISSION CALENDAR
Poems submitted in January are considered for the March issue.

Poems submitted in February are considered for the April issue.

Poems submitted in March are considered for the May issue.

Poems submitted in April are considered for the June issue.

Poems submitted in May are considered for the July issue.

Poems submitted in June are considered for the August issue.

Poems submitted in July are considered for the September issue.

Poems submitted in August are considered for the October issue.

Poems submitted in September are considered for the November issue.

Poems submitted in October are considered for the December issue.

Poems submitted in November are considered for the January issue.

Poems submitted in December are considered for the February issue.