The Journal  

'...plenty of different styles of poetry in each issue. The result is that, whilst The Journal will never have that sense of comforting familiarity that some 'zine have developed, it will always stretch your boundaries.' The Supplement #73

'...an international magazine in the tradition of Poesie Europe, Ecuatorial, and Labrys. It publishes poems in English, in particular by English-language poets in exile, translations into English alongside the originals, interviews with poets, and appraisals of current poetry scenes...' Wolfgang Görtschacher

'A plainly elegant layout, making the most of its size to incorporate sequences and longer poems, articles and plenty of reviews .... The contents are global ... all saying what has to be said, in ways and words you wish you'd imagined. Shining intelligence, to brighten and inspire serious poetry lovers.' Orbis

'Few publications deliver consistently good issues — The Journal is among them. Filled with well-written poems from some of the best contemporary poets I've ever read, The Journal is the definitive showpiece of the small press. Each issue also contains thorough book and journal reviews composed by writers whose love of literature is evident.' Hyacinthe L. Raven Via Dolorosa Press (USA)
​
'...interesting and experimental while avoiding the obscure and unnecessarily difficult. Add to the excellent selection of poetry, some interesting and insightful reviews and The Journal is a must for anyone who loves poetry and is not afraid of a bit of experimentation and the new insights that this can bring.' Juliet Wilson

current issue 


Here’s where, possibly in fear and trepidation, reviewees in #58 The Journal try to match their name – Charlie Baylis, Neil Campbell, Laura Chalar, A.C.Clarke, Clive Gresswell, Chris Kinsey, Antony Johae, Rosie Johnston, Jesse Lee Kercheval, John Murphy, James B. Nicola, Nick Power & Andrew Taylor, James Russell, Fiona Sinclair, George Szirtes, Clarissa Upchurch, and John Zedolick - with that of a reviewer – Brian Daldorph, Fiona Sinclair, Emma Lee, Sam Smith or Martin Stannard.
 
Poetry being the The Journal’s raison d’être #58 also contains original work by Millicent Borges Accardi / Angela Arnold / Miguel Avero / George Beddow / Daniel Bennett / Laura Bertolini / Robin Brumby / Alejandro Méndez Casariego / Laura Chalar / Valeria Cipolli / Kitty Coles / Holly Day / Richard Dinges, Jr / James Fountain / Christina Hemsley / Khalid Khan / Pat Mellow / Robert Nisbet / Laura Potts / Donna Pucciani / Jimmy Rodda / Gordon Scapens / Marina Serrano /  Tanner /
Georgina Titmus / Patricia Tyrell / Geoff William / Merryn Williams / Robin Lindsay Wilson / Geoffrey Winch / Grahaeme Barrasford Young.
 
​
Time to take out/renew the subscription?

to subscribe to The Journal

annual subscription (3 issues) is £13.00 The PayPal button below often refusing to work payment can still be made by going directly to the PayPal website and making payment to The Journal via smithsssj@aol.com or asamsmith@hotmail.com . If you do this please also email me your name and address so I can send you copies.
Failing that you can send me a cheque, made payable to 'Sam Smith' at The Journal, 38 Pwllcarn Terrace, Blaengarw, Bridgend, CF32 8AS
​within the UK a single copy, current issue, is £4.50 Again, should the PayPal button below refuse to work payment can still be made by going directly to the PayPal website and making payment to The Journal via smithsssj@aol.com or asamsmith@hotmail.com . If you do this please also email me your name and address so I can send you your copy.
Failing that you can send me a cheque, made payable to 'Sam Smith' at The Journal, 38 Pwllcarn Terrace, Blaengarw, Bridgend, CF32 8AS

To submit

editorial policy is '...to try to publish those poems — from wheresoever they may come — written with thought to what the poem is saying and to how it is being said. Also welcomed are poems that can travel, that can cross boundaries, that do not assume in their readers a shared knowledge nor a shared set of beliefs. And it will be a rare day when I take a poem about being a poet or about the writing of poems. Also, because my aim is to keep The Journal secular, any poem containing religious terminology will not be considered for publication....'

* poems in English please, or translations into English (about 6 at a time)
* also welcome are interviews with poets, reviews, appreciations or appraisals of current poetry scenes
* if, within UK, a reply is desired, enclose SAE (email submissions only as part of email text, not as an attached file.)
* payment will be one complimentary copy to each author
* copyright will remain with author
* from outside UK enclose 2xIRCs, or submit by email (email submissions only as part of email text, not as an attached file.)

​* But before submitting work from outside the UK please be aware of the following - In 2012 the Royal Mail failed to deliver #36 The Journal to overseas subscribers and contributors for more than two months after posting, and this despite my having had Post Office counter staff weigh and price every envelope containing a copy of #36. This failure caused not only disappointment, but also some bad feeling. The Journal is a labour of love, and I don't need to even feel accused of bad faith. So from #38 on I will no longer send contributor's copies abroad via the Royal Mail, nor accept any subscriptions from outside the UK. I will, however, send to those who still wish to contribute from outside the UK a pdf file of the relevant issue as an email attachment. And I will of course endeavour to meet all outstanding obligations, but please don't blame me if the Royal Mail fails again to deliver.

original plus, having found a good short run printer in Imprint Digital, is once again able to consider the publication of perfect bound full collections as well as poetry chapbooks. Consideration of either usually follows from publication in The Journal.

​email - asamsmith@hotmail.com

Front cover poem for #58 by Holly Day ​(USA)

Confession
           
The bird hides inside, tucked inside my ribcage
too rotten to present. Bodies twist, limbs flail
but I didn’t come.
 
Dark and black and wet, he’s swimming
in the sweat of other women, rotten
to the heart. The bird is in here, barely visible
in the sick hot summer, intent on
 
murdering angels.
Even through the cigarette smoke and birthday cologne
he’s in my heart—I can smell him.