Print all of the poems that you want to consider publishing. Look at each closely and determine which should be published. Many poets put a book together based off of a topic, tone or aesthetic, and it is important that the poems in a book flow together. Choose the poems that you would like for the book and count them. Decide if you want to print a chapbook or a full-length book. Chapbooks are less than 25 pages, while full-length books are more.
Format your poems in a clean word document. There should be one poem per page, and the pages should be numbered. Create a title page that includes the title of the book or chapbook, a table of contents and a dedication page if desired. Many poets also create a page of acknowledgments, where they place all of the journals or magazines with which they have had the poems in the book previously published.
Decide how you want to publish your manuscript. Research the differences between a traditional publisher and self-publishing options. According to Writing World, there are vast differences in author control, revenue and marketing responsibility between a publisher and self-publishing. Visit Writing World to assess what is best for you.
The traditional publishing route---usually involving small presses---are open to new authors' poetry books. To find a poetry publisher, visit Poets & Writers Magazine's Press Database. This comprehensive listing includes many publishers seeking poets. Follow the guidelines of each press very closely. Prepare to send many hard-copies of your text. Some presses allow poets to email their work.
Decide if self-publishing might be a better way to proceed if you want complete publishing control or if no traditional publishers have decided to print the book. Online self-publishing providers, like CreateSpace or Lulu, offer inexpensive ways to bind and publish a book legitimately.
Visit CreateSpace.com or Lulu.com to look at their publishing options. Lulu.com has a poetry-specific package that allows poets to publish their book for a fee. They also have a free basic package.
CreateSpace allows authors to publish their books for free. You can upload the book and only pays for proof copies and copies of the finished book. You can elect to purchase the Pro Package plan that includes distribution to Amazon, Barnes & Noble and CreateSpace e-store.
Both Lulu and CreateSpace allow you to upload your book, design a cover and publish it when you're ready. When these elements are complete, the book is published and available for purchase online.