The Second Light Network aims to promote, encourage and highlight women poets, who traditionally have been underrepresented in the ‘canon’ and still struggle to pack the same punch as the big boys of the poetry world. As women still largely bear the burden of childcare, and caring more generally, finding the time and resources to pursue a poetry calling disproportionately affects women, hence Second Light’s focus on women aged 40 and over, when so many of us start to come into our own.

Second Light publishes a biannual magazine, ARTEMISpoetry, packed with poetry, reviews and articles by and about women poets. Submissions are open to women only, including non-members, with a different editor selecting poems for each issue. In a wonderfully egalitarian spirit, all contributors’ names are published on the cover. I’m thrilled to have a poem included in the May 2023 issue, chosen by guest editor Caroline Price.

There’s also an annual poetry competition, for both short and long poems (short being up to 50 lines, long over 50 lines with not upper limit), and Second Light members can enter one poem for free. This year’s competition is open now and closes on 20th July.

Second Light members receive ARTEMISpoetry twice a year, and can also post a poem and details of their publications on their own page on the network’s website – you can view mine here. So if you’re a woman poet aged 40 or over, it’s well worth considering joining Second Light. Associate membership is available to women under 40. Don’t hide your poetry light under a bushel – shine a Second Light on it!