Submissions Update
We will be moving away from rolling submissions, and starting submission reading periods as outlined below:
Winter/Spring: January 5th. - May 31st.
Summer/Fall: September 5th. - November 30th.
Submissions do not have to be themed to the season of the reading period.
This change will allow us time to put together our highly anticipated first anthology, as well as plan strategically for upcoming anthologies. We hope these schedule changes will give our poet’s time to regroup as well, and continue to curate and cultivate excellent work in their submissions.
Please note that if a submission is received close to the cut-off date, response time regarding acceptance or nonacceptance may be longer than usual.
Submissions
At O2 Haiku, we accept two different categories of poetry for our Literary Magazine: Original or traditional haiku, and our “OneBreath” poetry.
The Original Haiku category, will stick to traditional haiku principles. We don’t uphold a strict “5-7-5” rule, and feel that the message is what’s important.
For our “One Breath” poetry, we are looking for anything that isn’t traditional haiku, but nods to the concept. Think poetry that happened in one moment in time (or could be said in one breath). We accept ‘One-line,’ ‘Monostitch/Monoku,’ Short Form poetry, or anything else that emphasises one simple, beautiful instant. Just keep it shorter than a half-page in length please!
You can send your submissions using the submission button. Please also review our guidelines for each form of poetry. A.I. work is not permitted.
Writers may be accepted for One of each category (Haiku and One Breath) within a 3 month rolling block. Writers are encouraged to submit to our monthly Kigo Challenges every month.
*We reserve First Publication Rights. Feel free to use whatever work you publish with us, just give credit to O2 Haiku for first publication.
Original Haiku Poetry Submissions
-
Please submit up to 3 original, previously unpublished haiku. We do not accept simultaneous submissions because we try to get back to you quickly.
Focus on sending us your best work, not counting syllables.
We accept traditional English style three line haiku or one line monoku. If you are submitting in another language, please submit the English translation as well.
Include a kigo, or seasonal reference.
Include a kireji, or cutting word.
Keep things simple. If your haiku feels too wordy, see if you can get the moment across in a simpler way.
No explicit content. Focus on nature, or how humans find each season within their lives.
One Breath Poetry Submissions
-
-Original and unpublished.
-Not a traditional haiku, if so, see above.
-In English, or if originally in another language, please provide best translation for the readers.
-Less than half-page in length.
-If a reader had one breath left, should they spend it on your piece? Is it a moment of profound brevity?
-
Our keyword challenge is inspired by kigo used in haiku. A kigo, is a literary method used in haiku, that sets the reader in a specific season. For example, falling leaves instantly lets the reader know that the piece may be set in autumn.
For the February/March keyword challenge, we ask writers to write either a haiku or One Breath piece using one of the words below:
-Moss
-Slate
-Ice
Please follow the same rules for haiku or One Breath as listed in their respective submission guidelines, and if submitting a mixed entry (both haiku and One Breath), please annotate which piece is which style.
The selections for the keyword challenge will be published at the end of March 2026!
Good luck writers!
Got your work accepted by O2?
Expect to see any piece that we publish in our Poets Corner! There you can also find our “Editors Choice” selections, as well as great information about upcoming events, articles, competitions, and more.
Any published pieces can further move on to placement in our printed anthologies and printed quarterlies. More information to follow!