Editor Interview: cattails journal

Japanese short form

Otata, Skylark and Eucalypt

We publish in English and also in the original language of poets from around the world. We have a dedicated Youth Corner which showcases young poets from around the world.

Do make sure you submit to the correct Japanese short form editor.

cattails showcases new, emerging voices and many poets have begun their haiku journey with cattails. Previous publication credits are not required when submitting. However, we appreciate with a smile an opening salutation, however brief. After all, we are not bots and it is wonderful to make personal contact with poets from around the world.

The haiku, senryu, tanka, haiga, haibun and Youth Corner editors are published and reputable poets. They take great care to read every piece that is submitted thoroughly and often offer critical feedback to refine and tweak a piece to make it publishable.

Plagiarism is a complex and ever-present issue. We evaluate carefully that the poems considered for publication are not copies of previously published work in any other publication.

Once the submissions close and the editors send in their final selections, I proof-read each selection and contact the editors for the final tweaking of spelling, punctuation or syntax details. I also deal with queries about lost and late submissions, any issues of plagiarism or even withdrawal of submissions (although this is rare). I am fortunate to have the help of Mike Montreuil, the Managing Editor, who is patient and unflappable. It takes us a good four weeks to fine-tune details for the final uploading of content online for each issue of the journal.

Japanese short form is concise and specific. Sometimes a piece might have the imagery but the syntax is awkward or a flip of lines might enhance the syntax and rhythm of the piece. In the case of haibun, the accompanying haiku might need to be tweaked to avoid repeating what is described in the prose passage. We offer such critical feedback and suggestions. But, the writer has the ultimate say. They may either accept or reject such suggestions.

Yes, we nominate work published in cattails for the Red Moon Press Annual Anthology.