Lamps in the Dark: Submissions

Top-Shelf Literary Magazine is seeking poems for Lamps in the Dark: A Top-Shelf Poetry Anthology, our debut print and e-book collection, releasing December 1, 2026. We are gathering sixty poets whose work brings light to dark places: poems of resilience, wonder, grief, and hope. Submissions are open July 1 through August 31, 2026.

We want poems that carry light into dark places: work that is encouraging, hopeful, inspiring, funny, tender, or quietly defiant. Whatever the darkness, your poem should be the lamp. All styles and forms are welcome, from free verse to haiku to formal work, and there is no length limit.

Send three to five poems in a single submission. A maximum of two poems per poet will be accepted for the anthology.

We consider previously unpublished work only. This includes poems posted on public blogs and social media. Simultaneous submissions are welcome, just tell us in your email that the work is under consideration elsewhere, and notify us promptly at [email protected] if a poem is accepted by another publication.

All submissions must follow our content guidelines.

Email your submission to [email protected] with the subject line Anthology Submission.

Attach your three to five poems in a single .doc or .docx file. In the body of your email, please include a brief third-person bio (50 to 100 words), and let us know if any of the poems are simultaneous submissions.

Submissions are open July 1 through August 31, 2026. We aim to respond to every submission within eight weeks. Accepted poets will be notified by email and announced ahead of the anthology’s release on December 1, 2026.

Lamps in the Dark is a labor of love, and we are unable to offer monetary payment at this time. Every poet accepted into the anthology will receive a free PDF edition of the book upon its release on December 1, 2026. Print copies will be available for purchase through our shop, and contributors are welcome to order at the same price as our readers.

Contributors retain all rights to their work. By submitting, you grant Top-Shelf and CopperMoon Productions first anthology rights: the right to publish your poem in the print and digital editions of Lamps in the Dark. All rights revert to you upon publication, and we simply ask that any future reprints credit Lamps in the Dark: A Top-Shelf Poetry Anthology as the place of first publication.

Want to support Lamps in the Dark and Top-Shelf? Founding Members of our Substack receive a free physical copy of the anthology upon release, along with our full slate of founding perks. Learn more at our Substack.