Hi Geoff, I'm very puzzled by what poetry magazine editors want and would like my poetry to soar above the slush pile. I was wondering if you could provide some thoughts or a guide on how to do it. Here's a link to Blue Heron on the internet that offers some suggestions. https://blueheronreview.com/what-are-magazine-editors-really-looking-for/
Thanks- Debbie
I don't think the things they mentioned are bad, though perhaps a bit general besides general magazine aesthetic and aspects our submission cannot control (e.g., the issue already has too many poems on the topic my poems are about / the submission came in too late and I need to save a spot for another piece): -are the stakes/implications clear -how strong is the opening line
-how strong is the closing line
-is the closing earned
-have I read a poem like this before--what is NEW in this piece -where is the turn
-does the title make me want to read -are there images I've already heard before/how successfully am I avoiding cliche
-are there references to other forms/poems/mythologies (etc.)
-how layered is the poem
just some quick thoughts