The Poetry Foundation is an independent literary organization established in 2003 that publishes Poetry magazine, maintains one of the largest free online poetry archives, and supports poets through awards and programs. It was created from the estate of philanthropist Ruth Lilly, who gifted over $100 million to the magazine that had been struggling financially, making the foundation one of the best-funded literary institutions in the United States.
Origins and the Ruth Lilly Gift
Poetry magazine was founded in Chicago in 1912 by Harriet Monroe, making it the oldest monthly poetry magazine in the English-speaking world. For most of its history, the magazine operated on a tight budget, relying on subscriptions and donations. In 2002, Ruth Lilly, an heir to the Eli Lilly pharmaceutical fortune, donated approximately $100 million to the magazine’s publisher, the Modern Poetry Association. The following year, the organization reorganized itself as the Poetry Foundation, with a mission to discover, celebrate, and promote poetry. The gift allowed the foundation to expand its digital presence, fund new programs, and eventually build a dedicated building in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, which opened in 2011 and includes a library, performance spaces, and a children’s area.
Poetry Magazine Today
Poetry magazine continues to be the foundation’s flagship publication, appearing monthly in print and online. Each issue features contemporary poems, essays, and reviews, and the magazine has published many of the most celebrated poets of the past century, including T.S. Eliot, Marianne Moore, and Gwendolyn Brooks. The foundation also awards the annual Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, which is one of the most prestigious honors in American poetry, carrying a $100,000 award. Other notable prizes include the Pegasus Awards, which recognize young poets and verse drama, and the Poetry Foundation–Children’s Poet Laureate, a biennial title given to a writer who has made significant contributions to poetry for young readers.
The Online Archive and How to Search It
The Poetry Foundation’s website hosts over 14,000 poems, making it one of the largest free poetry archives on the internet. You can browse by poet, title, subject, or occasion, and the advanced search allows you to filter by form (sonnet, haiku, free verse), poetic device (alliteration, metaphor), and even by first line. For example, searching “love” under subject returns hundreds of poems, from Shakespeare’s sonnets to contemporary work by Ada Limón. Each poem page includes the full text, a brief biography of the poet, and often an audio recording of the poet reading their own work. The site also features articles, podcasts, and a weekly newsletter called Poetry Magazine Daily, which delivers a poem to your inbox each morning.
How to Get Published or Involved
Poetry magazine accepts unsolicited submissions through its online submission manager. The guidelines are straightforward: submit up to four poems at a time, and expect a response in about three months. The magazine pays for accepted work, and it is famously competitive—receiving hundreds of thousands of submissions each year. If you are not a poet, you can still participate by attending events at the foundation’s Chicago headquarters, which hosts readings, workshops, and exhibitions. The foundation also runs the Poetry Out Loud national recitation competition for high school students, and the Harriet Monroe Poetry Institute, which funds poetry-related research and community projects.
Common Misconceptions and Limitations
A frequent misconception is that the Poetry Foundation only publishes traditional or formal poetry. In truth, the magazine embraces a wide range of styles, from experimental verse to spoken word, and it has published work by poets from diverse backgrounds and traditions. Another limitation is that the archive is not exhaustive—it contains a curated selection, not every poem ever published in the magazine. Some older issues are not fully digitized, and copyright restrictions prevent the foundation from offering the complete works of living poets. Also, while the website is free, it does not offer a mobile app; the mobile site is functional but less polished than the desktop version.
Comparing the Poetry Foundation to Other Poetry Sites
If you are looking for poetry online, the Poetry Foundation is one of several major options. The Academy of American Poets runs Poets.org, which has a similar archive but also includes a national poetry map and a poem-a-day feature. The Poetry Archive (poetryarchive.org) focuses on audio recordings of poets reading their work, which can be especially useful for hearing rhythm and tone. The Modern American Poetry site at the University of Illinois offers scholarly annotations, and the Electronic Poetry Center at SUNY Buffalo hosts experimental and avant-garde work. For a quick comparison:
- Poetry Foundation – largest free text archive, strong on contemporary and classic poems, plus magazine and podcasts.
- Poets.org – excellent for national events and a clean, user-friendly interface.
- Poetry Archive – best for audio, with over 400 poets reading their own work.
- Modern American Poetry – best for academic analysis and context.
For most casual readers, the Poetry Foundation is the best starting point because of its sheer volume and the quality of its editorial selections.
Costs and Accessibility
Everything on the Poetry Foundation’s website is free, including the archive, articles, podcasts, and events that are streamed online. Print subscriptions to Poetry magazine cost about $30 per year, but many libraries carry it. The foundation’s building in Chicago is open to the public free of charge, though some special events require tickets. The website is generally accessible, with text versions of poems and audio recordings, but it lacks a dedicated screen-reader mode for the audio players. If you are a teacher, the foundation offers a free education section with lesson plans and poetry prompts, which is a valuable resource for classrooms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Poetry Foundation a nonprofit? Yes, it is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and donations are tax-deductible. Its funding comes primarily from the Lilly endowment, but it also receives support from individual donors and grants.
Can I submit my own poems? Yes, Poetry magazine accepts unsolicited submissions through its online system. Check the submission guidelines on the website for current details, but generally you can submit up to four poems at a time.
Is every poem on the site free to read? Yes, the full text of every poem in the archive is available for free. However, some newer poems may be temporarily held from the online archive for a period after print publication.
Does the Poetry Foundation only publish American poets? No, while it is based in the United States, it publishes poets from around the world, and the archive includes translations of works from many languages.
How do I find a poem if I only remember a line? Use the advanced search feature and type the line you remember in the “first line” field. If that does not work, try a general web search with the line in quotes, as many poems are indexed by search engines.
Are there any age restrictions for attending events? Most events are open to all ages, but some may be geared toward adults. The foundation’s children’s area and education programs are designed for young readers, so it is a family-friendly institution.
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How pages are sourced and corrected: Sources and editorial policy.