Guidelines



Submission Guidelines: Send 1-3 unpublished poems in the body of an email (NO ATTACHMENTS) to nvneditor[at]gmail.com. No simultaneous submissions. Use "Verse News Submission" as the subject line. Send a brief bio. No payment. Authors retain all rights after 1st-time appearance here. Scroll down the right sidebar for the fine print.
Showing posts with label imperialism. Show all posts
Showing posts with label imperialism. Show all posts

Saturday, February 28, 2026

MOURNING PILLOW

by Matthew Ellis
 
 


Woke early // couldn’t sleep
Lie there awhile // felt rested
so rose // as bombs fell
to strikes // war on Iran
again // They promised
what he wanted // He lied
Regional hegemony // & Israeli
ascension // Palestinian genocide
& in Sudan too // disregard for life
continues // as Cuba falls
Imperialism thrives // we all suffer


Matthew Ellis (he/him) is a queer poet living in Columbus, Ohio. His first collection Little Heresies is due out in September 2026 from Wayfarer Books. With a background in chemistry, he spends his time teaching yoga and following creative pursuits in music and writing. To keep up with his work, you can follow him on Instagram (@matthewellismusic3) or visit his website (www.MatthewEllisContemplation.com).