Poetry
Metphrastics
Metphrastics pays $10 per poem and charges no submission fee. It publishes ekphrastic poems responding to works in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's permanent collection and special exhibitions, welcomes submissions year-round from poets around the world, and does not accept AI-generated work.
🟢 Rolling submissions Verified 2026-09
The docket
The nine things that decide whether a pitch is worth sending. Every answer below is either taken from the publication’s own guideline or computed by BRYME from the 288-publication desk. Where the publication does not say, the docket says so instead of filling the gap in.
- Payment
- $10 per poemOf the other 63 records quoting in USD on this desk that state a figure, 6 state less, 49 state more, 8 state exactly this.
- Length
- No length limit stated; up to 3 poems per submission
- Who can submit
- Open worldwideThe guideline states the call is worldwide. Diaspora writers are explicitly welcome.
- Reading period
- Not yet assessedBRYME has not recorded a reading period for this market from its guideline page. That is our gap rather than the publication's silence: it does not mean the window is open, and it does not mean there is none. Read the guideline linked on this page before you send.
- Response time
- Two to three weeks after the deadline
- Simultaneous submissions
- You may submit elsewhere at the same timeSimultaneous Submissions: Absolutely fine. Just let us know if a piece is accepted elsewhere. — https://metphrastics.com/submit (read 2026-09-30)
- AI policy
- AI-assisted work is prohibitedThe guideline forbids AI-generated or AI-assisted writing.
- Rights
- Not statedBRYME records that 149 of the 288 publications on this desk state their terms. This one does not. Ask what rights you are assigning, for how long and for what territory, before you sign anything.
- Experience
- Not yet assessedBRYME has read this publication's guideline but has not yet put the experience question to it, so this row is untouched rather than unanswered — it is our gap, not theirs. Treat it exactly as you would an unstated policy.
What this record does not tell you
This publication leaves 3 of the nine questions unanswered. BRYME publishes that gap instead of filling it — a generated answer would look complete and cost you a pitch.
- Reading period — no window recorded yet, so check the guideline before you pitch rather than assuming it is open.
- Rights — you may be asked to assign more than you expect. Get the terms in writing.
- Experience — BRYME has not assessed this one yet, so do not read the blank as either a welcome or a bar. Look at who the publication normally publishes before you pitch.
Record last human-checked 2026-09-30. Sources listed at the foot of this page. Figures are compared only against other records quoting in USD on this desk quoted the same way, so a per-word rate is never ranked against a flat fee.
Quick facts
- Payment
- $10 per poem
- Word count
- No length limit stated; up to 3 poems per submission
- Submission
- Email - up to three poems with a note on the works referenced
- International writers
- Yes
- Status
- 🟢 Rolling submissions
- Last verified
- 2026-09
What this publication wants
This is BRYME's summary of the publication's focus — not a copy of their website. Type of writing: Poetry. Official guideline: Metphrastics guidelines.
Topics, themes and styles they look for
- Ekphrastic poems responding to works in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's permanent collection or special exhibitions - painting, drawing, sculpture, photography, costume, musical instruments, and the Met building itself.
- Poems about works currently on display are favoured, though it is not required unless a call says so.
- Poems that engage with the artwork rather than choosing an artwork to fit a finished poem.
- Work about regions and genres the journal has covered least - it names Latin America, Ancient America and Africa as gaps.
Subjects they avoid
- AI-generated work.
- Poems about works in other museums - only ekphrastic poems about artwork at the Met are considered and responded to.
- Submissions without a note identifying the artwork referenced.
Key requirements
- Read https://metphrastics.com/submit before sending.
- Email up to three poems to metphrastics@gmail.com.
- Include a note about the work or works the poems reference and a 2-3 line bio.
- Name the artwork in the cover letter.
- Reprints are occasionally considered - say where the poem first appeared.
Who can submit
Poets around the world are explicitly welcome: the submit page states that all styles are welcome from poets around the world.
Rights
Not stated on the submit page.
AI policy
Prohibited
How to write for them
Official requirement: always follow the publication's own guideline exactly.
BRYME's practical advice: write for the publication's audience, use a clear structure, keep paragraphs short, lead with a specific angle, and confirm the word count before submitting. These are practical suggestions — they are not the publication's official rules.
How to pitch
Where a pitch is required, this is the general pattern BRYME recommends — always adapt it to the publication's guideline.
- Research the publication and read several recent pieces.
- Choose a specific idea that fits their beat and audience.
- Write a concise subject line naming your idea.
- Introduce yourself in one or two lines (who you are, where you publish).
- Explain the proposed piece in a short paragraph — angle, structure, length.
- Say why it fits this publication.
- Include 2–3 relevant clips or links.
- Close professionally and thank them for their time.
- Send through the official channel only.
Reads year-round; no submission window to wait for.
How to submit
Email - up to three poems with a note on the works referenced
Apply through the official channel below. BRYME only records submission destinations it has verified.
- Official guideline: opens the publication guideline (new tab)
- Submission: Email - up to three poems with a note on the works referenced
- Submission email: metphrastics@gmail.com
What the guideline asks you to prepare
- Read https://metphrastics.com/submit before sending.
- Submissions are welcome year-round, so there is no window to wait for. The Fall 2026 call on the theme of Wounds asked for poems by September 15.
- Email up to three poems with a note on the artworks and a short bio.
- Only poems about works at the Met are answered, so a poem about another museum's collection will not get a reply.
- Simultaneous submissions are welcome - say so if a poem is taken elsewhere.
What happens after submission
Expected response: Two to three weeks after the deadline
If the publication does not state a response time, BRYME records that it is unknown. A follow-up is generally reasonable after a couple of weeks; if there is still no response, treat that as a likely non-acceptance rather than a rejection. Acceptance is normally communicated by the publication. If they accept, they will tell you exactly how to submit the final piece and, for most, how and when payment is made.
Check, question or correct this record
BRYME publishes its working, not just its conclusions. Last human check: 2026-09.