how to get my poems published?

The only way to make it is to keep trying. There's no surefire way; you have to write something they want to buy. If you keep striking out then keep writing something better and submitting it. It's not easy to break into publishing and you have to keep at it. Not sure how a portfolio would work unless you're going to show them your poems for a freelance job, but you probably know the market better than I and how a portfolio of poetry might help.

If I understand you correctly, you seem to be asking if sending by snail mail will better your chances? No, it won't. It still depends on what you've written, not how you send it. The only advice i have is to keep writing them and sending them off. l don't want to be condescending, but check for quality, too. If you feel you need to improve on your poems or improve your poetry writing then do that. It takes an objective writer to know when s/he needs to keep working. This doesnt' mean your not a good poet, I don't know and I'm no good judge of poetry, either. But, magazines are hard to break into because there's a limited number of space and not only are you competing with other amateur (unpublished) poets like yourself, but you might also be competing with published and/or well-known poets.

I say keep trying, whatever you do. If you stop then you'll never realize your dream. If no mag wants any of your current poetry then write more poetry and send it off. Easier said than done, I'm sure, but you won't get anywhere by not submitting your stuff.

Good luck with it.

On a side note, see if any editor at the magazines you've submitted or have on your submission list have done interviews. I've come across many interviews given by magazine editors where they explain their submissions process and some of the mistakes writers make in their writing that gets them rejected.

I'd suggest you email some people at different publishing companies asking them what you should do, and submit some work to them at the same time. It can't hurt to ask them for help. You might even ask someone from the New Yorker.

Print them out and then staple the pages together.

Save a lot of money that way.

heh