"I have been creeping on your magazine for a few months now, and I must say, I have really enjoyed reading the poems there. I appreciate the originality of them—the poems you choose are so different from other magazines I’ve been reading ... "
I received the above comment in a recent cover letter and it inspired me to shine a little light on what I look for in a poem.
While I do read every submission — at least once — more often than not, I know within reading the first few lines if it's perfect for Phantom Kangaroo. It's not enough to say what subject matter I'm drawn to —(cryptozoids, 1950s UFO descriptions, serial killers, etc.). Your poem should stroke me like a delicate, skeletal finger trying to seduce me.
It should include romance + morbidity, and hint toward some unspoken horror that gnaws at the heart. I want to fall in love, hide under the covers and find my missing piece, all within your words.
This issue has a lot of that and more, including aliens, suicide, a love spell and paranoia.
Happy Halloween!
Claudia, Oct. 31, 2012
Artist Bio: Richard Cody, a native Californian, has been known to write poetry and fiction. He also takes pictures. Lots of pictures. He is the author of The Jewel in the Moment, Darker Corners, and This is Not My Heart – all available cheap at Lulu.com and/or Amazon