A new concept in poetry
Poetry on Planes is a project currently in progress, the first in a series of anthologies that will feature the work of poets -- both established and emerging -- from around the world.
Buckle your seat belt and write a poem
We are soliciting original works that were, ideally, written while the author was travelling on a commercial airliner. And each work – be it serious or whimsical – should reflect the sort of thoughts people have while looking out the window at clouds and the earth below. People on planes will be reading Poetry on Planes, and it helps if they can relate to what's on the page.
A closer look at what we're looking for
We'd rather not wade through hundreds of poems about the “thunder of the jets’ or the ‘majesty of flight.’ The world beyond that small window is vast... explore it. Poems must be in English, or your native language accompanied by a translation. Submit as many as you'd like (within reason), in any style, and (so long as you own the rights) we don't mind if its been published elsewhere, our audience will be unique. As will the poems we choose.
Why "Poetry on Planes?"
This focus allows us to work toward distribution through airport bookstores such as WH Smith (1,400 locations), Hudson (970 locations), etc., as well as a special edition marketed to a major airline for inclusion in seat-back pockets, alongside their monthly in-flight magazine.
The deadline for your muse
We currently have a draft manuscript of Poetry on Planes nd are working on securing an agent and publisher. Hence - sorry to say - the deadline for submissions has passed. However, we do plan for additional volumes of Poetry on Planes in the future, as well as spin-off books such as Poetry on Trains, Poetry on Cruise Ships, etc., so please fill out the 'Contact Us' form at the bottom of this page and we'll keep you informed.
The nature of the reward
The usual... fame, glory, adoration, validation, vindication, revenge, etc. Poets whose work is selected will additionally receive 50 euros, or the equivalent in dollars/ pounds/ lira/ yen/ rupee/etc., as well as a copy of the book. But we think this is a good idea that hopefully will sell better than the usual book of poetry. If so, you'll get... more. But it's also an experiment, so how much more is yet to be determined... with all contributors getting an equal share, of course
About Us
The Great and Powerful Oz(s)
Gerry Murphy
Gerry was born in Cork in 1952. After dropping out of university in the early 1970s he spent some years working in London and living in an Israeli Kibbutz before returning to Cork where he has remained ever since. A champion swimmer he has made his living primarily as a life guard and swimming pool manager. He began publishing his books in the mid-80s containing poems so far removed from the Irish tradition that many doubted they were poems at all. You'll have to decide for yourself, but keep in mind that the Irish Examiner called him "...an acclaimed purveyor of humorous, irreverent, satirical, political and erotic poetry." And he is a member of the Irish Arts Council Aosdána. To find out more, please click here and here.
To see Gerry's books and purchase them on-line, click here.
Peter Frey
The son of a WWII fighter pilot, Peter was born on a military base in Florida in 1951. After six years of college, he defied all expectations and became an auto mechanic and racing driver. A chance encounter led to him joining the staff of a national auto magazine, which started him down a long and winding road of journalism, public relations, marketing, general manager of a team that raced jet planes and on-camera host of a popular series of new car video test drives as ‘Peter Frey, the Test Drive Guy.’ During 40 years of flying around the world on business, he wrote poetry on planes… a lot of it. He and his beautiful Irish wife moved from a condo on the beach in Florida to Ireland 2016... and back again in 2020. To find out more, please click here and visit www.MidasRoad.com.