for queer people, by queer people
have you ever sat down with a cup of tea and found yourself with nothing to read? at teahouse literary, we prioritize poems by queer individuals that we, the editors, think would pair perfectly with a warm drink on a rainy day. our basic rules are simple: no hatred, bigotry, or prejudice will be accepted in teahouse literary, and all submissions must only be poetry, because how cozy can you get if you're reading a hateful poem? up to five poems from one author will be accepted per submission, and up to one submission will be accepted per issue. only poetry from queer authors will be accepted, though your poems do not necessarily need to be about queerness. finally, do not plagiarize or use generative ai at all in your submitted piece, or you will be henceforth banned from submitting to any future teahouse literary issues.
issue 1: jasmine
jasmine tea has, across numerous cultures, represented elements such as romance, prosperity, purity, empathy, and respect, important among buddhist and christian communities alike and exceedingly popular in countries like china, japan, and vietnam. though it has hundreds of unique variants, basic jasmine tea has floral, smooth, and subtly bitter tones. in this issue, we prompt you to think of moments, emotions, and memories that have been bittersweet or painful to look back on. we encourage you to be subtle and thoughtful in your poetry, and we welcome experimentalism of all sorts, no matter how hard it is to format.
submissions remain open until september 12th, 2026. poets can submit 1–5 works. no bio. response time is 3 days. cover letter should just be the basics.
why choose teahouse literary
we offer safe, free publishing for all queer authors, with no restrictions on age, race, or gender!
the first few submitters per issue have the opportunity to receive free feedback and help from published authors and national competition winners!
who doesn't like tea?
queer safety
our brew
steeped solace
warm haven
the heart of teahouse
our mission
in the present day, there is a significant lack of time that queer people are able to set aside for safety and comfort; we are oftentimes too busy to think about ourselves or set aside little moments for us to relax and think. similarly, it is often difficult to find poetry by and for people like ourselves, especially in today's sociopolitical climate. at teahouse literary, we aim to bring these little moments of comfort to queer readers by publishing and promoting poetry that is safe, warm, and nostalgic, something you would read while drinking warm tea on a cold day.
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we are exclusively welcoming poetry for our upcoming digital release
masthead
Swirl is a lesbian multidisciplinary writer and poet from Seattle. She is the author of the chapbook "i have been my own priest". A Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest Finalist and a 30-time Scholastic Art & Writing winner in poetry, her work is published or forthcoming in HAD, Dishsoap Quarterly, Aster Lit, and Polyphony Lit. Beyond poetry, she reports for the LA Times HSI and PBS NewsHour SRL. You can find her on Instagram at @homoattorney
Swirl
Dave Thompson is a queer writer and poet currently studying in Michigan. He's been recognized by YoungArts, Scholastic Art & Writing, a finalist in the Pinch Literary Award for Poetry, and published by DePaul Bluebook, 1455 Books, The Albion Review, Polyphony Lit, and more. In his free time he makes websites and edits poetry magazines. You can find him at @tonyhawksno1lover on Instagram.
Dave Thompson
Scone is a bisexual Chinese-American writer, artist, and poet. Born in New York City, she has been recognized and published by the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards, OTHERSIDE magazine, & scaffold literary, and has attended the Kenyon Review Young Writers Workshop. Having recently graduated from the Juilliard Pre-College, she has performed on NPR, at Carnegie Hall, and in Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center. Currently, Scone is a rising freshman at Northwestern University. You can find her at @amie.shen on Instagram.
Scone
William Alexis is a gay poet and writer from Georgia, United States, whose work has been recognized by the New York Times and the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers. When not writing, he can be found with a Baldwin novel in hand or losing a quiet, ongoing battle with math. You can find him on Instagram at @william.alexus.
William Alexis
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