About the Anthology

The HIV Here & Now Project is developing a print poetry anthology that will include new or recent poems that address HIV either directly or indirectly, literally or metaphorically. Poems will address long-term survival, recent infection, racialization of HIV, criminalization of HIV, globalization of HIV, and living with HIV risk, among other topics. Submissions are ongoing and can be made via our Submittable site.

submitThe print anthology is different from the online poem-a-day countdown to 35 years of AIDS that ended on June 5, 2016. 

The HIV Here & Now Print Poetry Anthology is a place for poems about HIV and the experience of HIV in this world right here and right now. 

The poet does not have to be HIV-positive or have AIDS. The poems, however, must have a connection to HIV or AIDS on some level, be it direct or indirect, literal or metaphorical.

The HIV Here & Now Print Poetry Anthology will draw poems from the online poem-a-day countdown to 35 years of AIDS that ended on June 5, 2016. Any poems that were posted as part of that project or submitted to that project are already under consideration for the The HIV Here & Now Print Poetry Anthology.

Why are we still seeking poems for the print anthology?

The online poem-a-day countdown was a great success, but it did not yield enough work with a connection to HIV or AIDS on some level, be it direct or indirect, literal or metaphorical. That is one reason why the call for submissions remains open.

But the major reason why the call for submissions for the print anthology remains open is that poets of color, especially black poets, are underrepresented in the online poem-a-day countdown. Worldwide, black people bear the brunt of the ongoing HIV epidemic, and black voices are essential to this project.

In the United States, the vast majority of new HIV infections are concentrated among black people, and especially among young black gay men and transgender women. The voices of young black gay men, young black transgender men, and young black transgender women are essential to this project.

Large Blog ImageTO BE CLEAR: No poet submitting to this project has to be HIV-positive or have AIDS. This applies to poets of any race or identity. We are underscoring the importance to this project of black poets, both men and women, and especially young black gay male and transgender poets. But no poet submitting to this project has to be HIV-positive or have AIDS. 

Work can be previously published in a journal, book, or online. Acknowledgment will be given to the journal, book, or website where any previously published piece originally appeared.

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