Poetry Foundation Magazine, September 2026

by Adrian Matejka (Editor)

This September 2026 edition celebrates both ‘diverse aesthetics’ and ‘diverse perspectives’, featuring poetry by a host of writers including Carolyn Forché, Cynthia Dewi Oka, Paul Martínez Pompa, Joseph Earl Thomas, Dorothea Lasky, and more.

Plus, you’ll also find two special folios: the first spotlighting the writing of eight ‘Two-Spirit and Indigequeer’ poets, featured in a new anthology edited by Crisosto Apache and Julian Tanya, the latter delving into the poetry and collages of the late avant-garde jazz musician and multidisciplinary artist Ted Joans.

Genres: Poetry

Paperback

Published September 1, 2026

About the author

Adrian Matejka was born in Nuremberg, Germany but grew up in California and Indiana. He is a graduate of Indiana University and the MFA program at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. His first collection of poems, The Devils Garden, won the 2002 Kinereth Gensler Award from Alice James Books. His second collection, Mixology, was a winner of the 2008 National Poetry Series and was published by Penguin Books in 2009. Mixology was subsequently nominated for an NAACP Image Award. He is a Cave Canem fellow and is the recipient of two Illinois Arts Council Literary Awards. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in American Poetry Review, The Best American Poetry 2010, Crab Orchard Review, Gulf Coast, Pleiades, and Prairie Schooner among other journals and anthologies. He teaches at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville where he serves as Poetry Editor for Souwester."

Reviews

[Adam Carrico]

I really liked the Ted Joans portion. Apparently, he was born less than an hour from where I live!

[Del · Rating 5 out of 5]

cutely subscribes to poetry mag for free thru the library, calculating budget for paper subscription 2027, xoxo

favorites!
-Karl Knight's "What the Bedside Books Don't Tell Me"
- Dorothea Lasky's "The Last Moments of The Egg"
- Wendy Videlock's "What The River Said"
- Haylee Kirkwood's "Stood Up at the 2S Powwow"
- Ted Joans' "Poem for the Dull Brainers"

[Ajp · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I — slowly, slowly — make my way through back issues of “Poetry” magazine, one of the unexpected pleasures has been to register the impact made by each (new) editor. I am currently deep in the “Christian Wiman” era (2003-2013). Here, the simple introduction of letters-to-the-editor amps up the intensity of critical feedback — readers have such strong opinions! — that is surprisingly invigorating. Adrian Matejka has made innovations, too, in his tenure, one of which seems to be the folios. I like to think of folios as physical objects — specifically, those brown hanging files containing newspaper clippings that were once maintained by diligent branch librarians. Folios in “Poetry” magazine are similar in nature. They are curated selections from the output of historically/socially under-recognized poets, like Melvin Dixon (1950-1992), say, or Frank Marshall Davis (1905-1987). This month’s folio gathers poems and artwork by Ted Joans (1928-2003). This collection allows us to sit with Joans, to grow accustomed to his musical tempos, and breathe where he breathes, slide where he slides.

My favorite poem here is “Commonplace Bulues” with its rude, sticky verses. It begins: “I want to put something in your refrigerator / I want to put something in your oven too / I want to hang around your kitchen and watch / Pots and pans make love to you”.

Another favorite poem from this issue is “Stood Up at the 2S Powwow” by Halee Kirkwood, partly for introducing me to the phrase “[coming] out of the cupboard” — which makes “coming out” a warmly homey affair — but also for having a potential hook-up ask her “who [her] cousins are” before ghosting her. (Fun fact: “niizh manidoowag”, the Ojibwe phrase which forms the basis of the Anglicized “two-spirited-ness”, literally means “friends with ghosts” — so “being ghosted” is, weirdly, a sign of queer inclusion. Welcome to the family, hunty!)

[Timothy · Rating 4 out of 5]

So this was a yeah really enjoyable read. I got through it quickly. Most of it was while I was on a plane and then I just finished it up last night before I went to bed. I really enjoyed the the featured poet in this one. Some really good stuff there and I think what it showed was that surrealism is not this mindless kind of thing it is. It is really connecting with the subconscience and I think that's why a lot of people get wrong. It's not you know. Hey, what's the weirdest thing I can do? It's really connecting with that subconscious and really being in tune with it and then taking whatever that subconscious has and putting it out in the world of sal. It was really refreshing too. I have a poet that you know was was there for the surrealists and really and the beads and really developed his own style. So I'm very pleased with this issue and definitely worth a I read folks. Excited to read next month. Keep it up poetry magazine. Keep it up

[Sarah]

Oops got too excited and read my copy in the wrong month!

Here are my favorites:
The Bridge Before Dark by Carolyn Forché
Olive Tree by the Balcony by Cynthia Dewi Oka
Little Baby by Dorothea Lasky
lit by Paul Martinez Pompa
Friends with Ghosts by tripp j crouse
Ascension by bobbie Quinn
Hare-Brained by James Thomas Stevens
Do My Ancestors Keep My Name on File? by Estella (Sweet Rabbit) Burque
O Great Black Masque by Ted Joans

[rachel]

not really a book but i’ve been in a reading slump so at least it’s something. not many pieces really stood out, but i always want to write when i’m reading poetry, even if it’s poetry i’m not crazy about. so yay? and the Ted Joans portion was cool

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

From "Theta" - Matt Longabucco
Things artificial Intelligence Can't Do - Aaron Belize
Friends with Ghosts - tripp j crouse 
(re)(dis)connection - Aimee Inglis
Do My Ancestors Keep My Name on File? - Estella (Sweet Rabbit) Burque

[Ambrose Miles · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars

[lilly]

loved the Ted Joans folio so much at the end