Established in 1971, the CSPS is the official state organization representing California to the National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS). The organization has been incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 1985.
The CSPS has continually published the California Quarterly since the fall of 1972. The CQ features poems from California and from around the world, including foreign-language poems with English translations.
The CQ is edited by a team of four to eight Editors, with each Editor being responsible for selecting and organizing poems in one issue per about one-to-two years. The Editors nominate six poems to the Pushcart Prize every year. As of 2023, the CQ does not accept simultaneous submissions; only unpublished poems and translations are considered (up to six poems per submission).
The California Quarterly, published four times a year, only accepts unpublished poetry. Foreign language poems need an English translation.
One page poems work best, two page maximum, no theme or style restrictions. Submit 1 to 6 poems in a single .doc or ,docx file labeled with Poet Last Name, Poet First Name, Number of poems and Date submitted. If your file title of the submission does not include your last name, month and year of submission, the file will not be reviewed.
Each poetry page in the file should start with a header containing the following poet information: Name (last name first), Mail Address, e-mail, Telephone, Date submitted. Poem Title should appear on each page of poem.
Notification in 3-5 months. Payment is one copy of the CQ and all rights remain with the poet.