Five Bells is a significant quarterly journal published by the Poets Union to stimulate poetry discussion and debate through articles and essays on poetry issues and developments.

Five Bells Vol 16 No. 4 new book version with bright yellow cover, was sent out to members on 22nd October, 2009.
Thanks to our Poets Union volunteers and great poets: John Carey, Norm Neil and John Sheppard for doing all the stuffing and packing and to our Chairperson, Brook Emery for, as usual, hauling it all off to the Post Office.

All current members should have received their copy of Five Bells Vol 16 No. 4 with the bright yellow cover by now.
If you have not received your copy please contact Cathy Bray at the PU office on info@poetsunion.com with the Subject: YOUR NAME + 5 Bells Enquiry.

Regular features include 'How Poets Work' by invited poets, news on poetry’s place around Australia and reviews of new releases. Five Bells showcases new poetry from around the country, selected by a different guest editor each issue. The selection is completely anonymous (names and poems are separated before sending to the guest editor) and each guest editor makes their own distinct selection.

Members of the Poets Union receive Five Bells free along with a weekly e-newsletter Poets Union e-news.

Libraries and schools are encouraged to subscribe. Individual copies of current and past issues of Five Bells may be purchased at any time. For more information, please contact the Poets Union at info@poetsunion.com.au

Submissions
Articles are welcomed from members and non-members on the current theme or on other related areas of interest.

Five Bells only publishes poetry by Poets Union members and reviews of members’ work. Please note the deadlines below, especially for poetry and themed articles.

Become a member and submit your poems!
If you are a member of the Poets Union you are invited to submit new, unpublished poetry for publication in Five Bells. Please send one poem only per issue, maximum 50 lines.

Selected Subscribers Poems are chosen by a different Guest Editor for each issue, so do keep submitting poems.

Poems should be anonymous with title, name and contact details on a separate sheet. Remember to preserve the original as submissions will not be returned. Poems should not be under consideration for publication elsewhere.
NB poems are not held over issue to issue so members are invited to submit poems to each deadline.

Payment
The Poets Union supports payment of poets at appropriate rates. To this end the Poets Union successfully obtains funding to pay poets reasonable fees for Poets Union monthly readings, presentations in the Australian Poetry Festival, and Poets On Wheels tours. We look forward to gaining additional support to pay poets for publication of poetry and articles in Five Bells but regret that at this stage this is not yet possible.

The current Editors of Five Bells are:
John S Batts, Margaret Bradstock, John Sheppard and Thomas Thorpe and joining the Editorial team in 2009 is Lyn Vellins.

Where to send
Poetry submissions should be sent in a separate envelope marked 'Attention Guest Editor'.
All submissions should be sent to:

Deadlines
Autumn issue - March 15
Winter issue - June 15
Spring issue - September 15
Summer issue - December 15

Themes
2008
Autumn - Travel Poetry
Winter -
Spring -
Summer - Seasonal Poetry

2007
Autumn -
Winter -
Spring - Political Poetry
Summer -

2006
Autumn - Environment
Winter - 5th Australian Poetry Festival: Between!
Spring - Migration
Summer - HSC Poetry