Spectral Lines Visual Poetry Chapbook

July 5, 2022

Edited by Kyle Flemmer

Contributors: Christian Bok, Moni Brar, Benjamin C. Dugdale, Sarah Imrisek, Daze Jefferies, Samantha Jones, Eimear Laffan, Mark Laliberte, Carol MacKay, Colin Morton, Cassandra Myers, katie o’brien, Nikki Reimer, Rasiqra Revulva, Dani Spinosa, Kate Sutherland, Grant Wilkins

From the introduction: What is the difference between looking and reading? Between image and text? Between writing and drawing?

To me, questions about the difference between visual art and visual poetry are more productive than definitive answers. Visual poetry isn’t any one thing. It doesn’t look any one kind of way.

What are the limits of legibility? Of interpretation? Of language?

Language is a field with overlapping strata of signification. The visual aspect of language is entangled with its sound, just as the method of inscription impacts its meaning.

Visual poetry radiates outward in all directions from the question: What does language look like?

Here, you will find poems that make you ask: What am I looking at? Is this a poem? How should I read it? What does writing do? What is it for?

In the end, I hope these poems leave you wondering how many ways there are to play with the visible features of language.

Kyle Flemmer is an author, editor, and publisher from Calgary in Treaty 7 territory. He recently completed an MA in English Literature at the University of Calgary, where he researched digital poetics. Kyle founded The Blasted Tree Publishing Company in 2014 and served as Managing Editor of filling Station magazine from 2018-2020. He has published several chapbooks of visual poetry, most recently Little Songs by No Press and The Heavy Crown by nOIR:Z. Kyle’s first book, Barcode Poetry, was published by The Blasted Tree in 2021.

(NOW CLOSED) Submission guidelines:

  • Submissions are open to Canadian citizens and poets living and/or practicing in Canada.
  • All submissions must be in DOC, DOCX or PDF format.
  • Images should be 300 DPI or higher.
  • Open to members and non-members 
    • Members may submit up to 2 poems 
    • Non-members may submit 1 poem
  • Please complete the form in its entirety. If you have trouble with the form, contact [email protected]
  • We accept simultaneous submissions. If your piece is accepted elsewhere, please notify us immediately.
  • Selected poets will receive a $25 honorarium per selected poem.