Questions
Before You Submit
What is a death poem?
A death poem is a short poem written in contemplation of one's own mortality — not a poem about someone else's death, but your reckoning with your own. The form is ancient, rooted in East Asian literary traditions, but there is no fixed shape or length. A death poem can be a haiku or a page-long meditation.
Do I need to be a poet?
No. We accept poems from everyone — published poets, people who have never written a poem, people who are not sure what they are writing is a poem. If you are sitting with your own mortality and finding language for it, it belongs here.
Can I submit in another language?
Yes. We publish poems in any language alongside an English translation. If you need a translation, let us know in the form and we'll arrange it. If you have your own translation, include it.
What if my poem isn't finished?
Submit it. Death poems are rarely finished in the ordinary sense. We ask only that the poem feel true to where you are right now. You can only submit once, so take your time — but don't wait for perfection.
Will my poem be edited?
No. We publish your poem exactly as you submit it. We may contact you to clarify a line break or ask about formatting, but the words are yours.
Do you accept previously published work?
Yes. If your death poem has been published elsewhere, it can still appear in US Dirt. Because this is the only poem of yours we will ever publish, we want it to be the right one — wherever it came from.
Submit Your Death Poem
Fill out the form below. After you submit, you'll receive a confirmation by email.
Your poem will appear in the next issue of US Dirt — we'll let you know when it's live.