Rat's Ass Review

Although we expect most reviews to be of recent publications, we are open to thoughtful essays on classic poets and their work, provided that they offer something new for our readers to consider.

We are not particularly interesting in a puff piece on your best friend’s self-published epic poem about the struggles of a young poet (we have sat through that one already, thank you very much).

We are also not eager to read screeds about works which you deem to be beyond the pale. If they are truly bad, they will sink on their own. If the issue is simply that they offend you, we suggest you take the matter up with your therapist, your priest, or your bartender. There is enough venom out there without our soliciting it.

But, if you have discovered a new work of poetry which you feel merits analysis and which you want to bring to the attention of an audience of serious poets and lovers of poetry, then we may be the venue you are looking for.

The Humor Override Of course none of the above applies if the review is sufficiently amusing. On this, as in all matters regarding this journal, the decision of the editor is final.

Send me your best poetry. I don’t particularly care whether it’s formal or informal, metrical or free verse, rhyming or not. I’ve written all those possibilities myself. A good poem isn’t one that gets the grades for following particular rules. And I’m sure I’ll reject plenty of good poems anyway. I’m not even sure I’m looking for good poems. I’m looking for my kind of poems. Now we’re getting to it. What is my kind of poem? My favorite poets are Richard Wilbur and Elizabeth Bishop and W. H. Auden and Marge Piercy and W. B. Yeats and Robert Hayden and a bunch of others who don’t have much in common. What they do have in common is that, if you read their best poetry carefully, you will understand something about what’s going on the first time you read it. You will get a lot more out of each poem the more you read it, but you don’t have to study it to get the first level of enjoyment.

Rat's Ass Review seeks cover art for each issue, and will occasionally publish additional artwork among the poems. Consider sending us your more daring work, or work that has been deemed too strong for more timid venues.