Hello again to anyone who’s made it all the way down here! (This comment is for the poets.)
I wrote this post to give people new to reading poetry another way in. Turns out, a lot of poets have showed up looking for their community of poets (or sharing their own). Since that’s not the focus of Left On Red, I did want to share a few Substack communities FOR poets that I’ve come across:
If you have a Substack community FOR poets and want to welcome them into your community, feel free to reply to this comment and I’ll add you to this list for any other poets who have landed here. 🫶
Thanks for including my newsletter here, Ana! 🙏 This is a great list — I can't wait to explore it.
And, yes — poetry is thriving here on Substack! I completely agree with the point you made about the Substack format for poets: "we get to see a layer deeper than a static book or a temporary Instagram post." Every poetry post here is like a mini reading, with the opportunity for context, conversation, and craft notes. I think the future of poetry on Substack is really bright.
Yes, I think you’ve got it. I love poetry books but I’ve been thinking more about channels for poetry that can be a better container both in the economic sense (this is the “economic engine of culture” after all) and in the creative sense (is the book actually limiting in some ways?). Substack has the potential to be both those things as a conduit for deeper dialogue between poet and reader.
I often think to myself, Do I want poems to live in a book? Why should they? To be like a brick on a shelf, a forgotten tomb in a graveyard? I want my poems to live with you, to be of use, to be on your walls, to help see you through.
Pinning this comment for any poets who want to be added to a growing directory of poets on Substack. Please check out and add yourself to the Poetic Library by Saffron here ➡️➡️➡️ https://semorterlaing.substack.com/p/help-me-build-a-poetic-library (also linked in edit to post).
I had initially thought I would periodically update this list as I found more poets to add but seeing how a) there's just so many poets both in the comments and in the Substack-sphere (so cool to see but mygosh is it hard to keep up!), and b) Saffron's already working hard to put together such a great initiative, I think I can leave this one as a starting point for discovering what I believe is now a list of ~130 poets. I may update it from time to time but my intention was not to create a definitive list of every poet on Substack. Please don't feel slighted if you didn't "make" this list. I'll be clear here: this is not all the poets on Substack and this is not the Substack Best Poets list. It's a list on my personal Substack. I am not an expert or tastemaker of poetry. It's just a list of poets I knew and poets I found between February 2023 and today, March 21, 2024, my tiny little contribution for people like me who were like, "where is all the poetry?" Well, here are (just) some places to start.
Thank you to everyone who has shared with words of support. To the poets on Substack and beyond! 💖
Amazing!! If only I had found yours before I made mine haha. Just pinned Tom’s comment with a link to your list so people can hop on over to find even MORE poets.
This is great! As a poet and a Substacker who writes about poetry, I've felt that void--how to find the other poet/poem people in this place. Thanks for helping. :)
This list wouldn't be complete without @wordsinbloom @victorypalace and @myrewind (as well as me, if you feel inclined!)
I'd love to see Substack introduce a few more tools or ways to make it easier to discover poetic works on the platform. Hopefully with posts like this and @semorterlaing 's recent post (https://semorterlaing.substack.com/p/help-me-build-a-poetic-library), the word on Substack poets gets out further and Substack sees the incredible work that the poets here are doing!
I am honored to see that Paul's Substack is included in your post listing 99 Substack poets in alphabetical order. Whoever could complain about sitting between Patti Smith and PINTAIL POETRY?
Wonderful list! I love seeing poets I already read on the list and now I have s space to discover more. I would love to be included in this list, if you think my work fits the bar.
Hello again to anyone who’s made it all the way down here! (This comment is for the poets.)
I wrote this post to give people new to reading poetry another way in. Turns out, a lot of poets have showed up looking for their community of poets (or sharing their own). Since that’s not the focus of Left On Red, I did want to share a few Substack communities FOR poets that I’ve come across:
- https://onlypoems.substack.com/
- https://poetrypals.substack.com/
- https://treshathepoetrysaloncom.substack.com/
- https://mayacpopa.substack.com/
- https://semorterlaing.substack.com/ (*home of another list of poets you can add yourself to!)
If you have a Substack community FOR poets and want to welcome them into your community, feel free to reply to this comment and I’ll add you to this list for any other poets who have landed here. 🫶
Thanks for including my newsletter here, Ana! 🙏 This is a great list — I can't wait to explore it.
And, yes — poetry is thriving here on Substack! I completely agree with the point you made about the Substack format for poets: "we get to see a layer deeper than a static book or a temporary Instagram post." Every poetry post here is like a mini reading, with the opportunity for context, conversation, and craft notes. I think the future of poetry on Substack is really bright.
Yes, I think you’ve got it. I love poetry books but I’ve been thinking more about channels for poetry that can be a better container both in the economic sense (this is the “economic engine of culture” after all) and in the creative sense (is the book actually limiting in some ways?). Substack has the potential to be both those things as a conduit for deeper dialogue between poet and reader.
Thanks for the comment (and the poetry), Adam!!
I often think to myself, Do I want poems to live in a book? Why should they? To be like a brick on a shelf, a forgotten tomb in a graveyard? I want my poems to live with you, to be of use, to be on your walls, to help see you through.
Pinning this comment for any poets who want to be added to a growing directory of poets on Substack. Please check out and add yourself to the Poetic Library by Saffron here ➡️➡️➡️ https://semorterlaing.substack.com/p/help-me-build-a-poetic-library (also linked in edit to post).
I had initially thought I would periodically update this list as I found more poets to add but seeing how a) there's just so many poets both in the comments and in the Substack-sphere (so cool to see but mygosh is it hard to keep up!), and b) Saffron's already working hard to put together such a great initiative, I think I can leave this one as a starting point for discovering what I believe is now a list of ~130 poets. I may update it from time to time but my intention was not to create a definitive list of every poet on Substack. Please don't feel slighted if you didn't "make" this list. I'll be clear here: this is not all the poets on Substack and this is not the Substack Best Poets list. It's a list on my personal Substack. I am not an expert or tastemaker of poetry. It's just a list of poets I knew and poets I found between February 2023 and today, March 21, 2024, my tiny little contribution for people like me who were like, "where is all the poetry?" Well, here are (just) some places to start.
Thank you to everyone who has shared with words of support. To the poets on Substack and beyond! 💖
Oh my goodness! I'm sorry, this must be somewhat overwhelming... Best of luck.
Hey! I also did this on my page! It's called the Poetic Library and essentially does the same thing here. Let's hope Substack starts to listen.
Amazing!! If only I had found yours before I made mine haha. Just pinned Tom’s comment with a link to your list so people can hop on over to find even MORE poets.
Thank you!
This is great! As a poet and a Substacker who writes about poetry, I've felt that void--how to find the other poet/poem people in this place. Thanks for helping. :)
This list wouldn't be complete without @wordsinbloom @victorypalace and @myrewind (as well as me, if you feel inclined!)
I'd love to see Substack introduce a few more tools or ways to make it easier to discover poetic works on the platform. Hopefully with posts like this and @semorterlaing 's recent post (https://semorterlaing.substack.com/p/help-me-build-a-poetic-library), the word on Substack poets gets out further and Substack sees the incredible work that the poets here are doing!
Double vote for @myrewind
Thank you for the mention!!
Great to see all these active poets showcased. 🫶
Thanks very much for including my little Substack in your post. We have quite a thriving community here.
I am honored to see that Paul's Substack is included in your post listing 99 Substack poets in alphabetical order. Whoever could complain about sitting between Patti Smith and PINTAIL POETRY?
Thank you, Ana!
Great spot to be haha. You’re welcome, Paul!
Wow! That is some amazing investigation! I’m honored to have made your list!!
Doing the Lord's work.
Wonderful list! I love seeing poets I already read on the list and now I have s space to discover more. I would love to be included in this list, if you think my work fits the bar.
thank you for pocketing my words here... what a generous thing you've given <3
You’re so welcome! <3
You should add Mike Speriosu’s “Iterations”
Thanks for including me! And the timing couldn’t be more appropriate as next week I’m publishing a piece dedicated to Poetry!
Excited to read it!
This is awesome! Would love to be included.
Thanks, Mike! Just snuck you in there!
🙏🙏🙏