A New Poetry Anthology from Nine Pens
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What would you protect?
A curlew calling across an empty moor.
The last pub in a village.
A language passed between generations.
A library threatened with closure.
The right to be different, to belong, to exist without apology.
In a world where so much feels increasingly precarious, Nine Pens is inviting poets to consider what matters, what is at risk and what deserves to be defended.
Protect the... is a new poetry anthology exploring the things we stand to lose and the things we refuse to surrender. We are looking for poems that engage imaginatively with the idea of protection, whether through the natural world, cultural heritage, community, identity, language, memory or the freedoms we sometimes take for granted.
We are particularly interested in poems that approach the theme in unexpected ways. Protection can be an act of love, resistance, preservation or defiance. It can also be complicated, contradictory or even unwelcome. What do we choose to protect, who decides what is worth saving, and what happens when the things we cherish are threatened?
Your subject might be vast or seemingly insignificant, deeply personal or fiercely political. We welcome work that is tender, angry, funny, challenging or quietly observant. Above all, we want poems that have something distinctive to say and that find an original way of saying it.
Submission Guidelines
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Submission window: 1 November to 31 December 2026
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Submission fee: £3 for up to two poems
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Maximum length: 60 lines per poem
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Publication status: Previously unpublished poems only
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AI policy: AI-generated poetry will not be accepted
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Selection: All eligible submissions will be considered for publication in the Protect the... anthology.
- Simultaneous Submissions accepted.
How to Submit
To enter, please purchase the £3 Protect the... submission entry through the Nine Pens online shop.
The £3 fee covers the submission of up to two poems for consideration.
Purchasing an entry does not guarantee publication, and all poems will be assessed on their individual merits.
Please ensure your poems meet the submission guidelines before sending your work.
A Free Anthology for Every Entrant
As a thank you for supporting Nine Pens and submitting your poetry, every entrant will receive a free digital copy of Hair Raising, a poetry anthology published by Nine Pens.
Your copy will be emailed to you using the email address provided when purchasing your submission entry.
The anthology is yours to keep, whether or not your poems are selected for publication in Protect the....
Supporting Macmillan Cancer Support
Nine Pens is delighted to be supporting Macmillan Cancer Support through the Protect the... anthology.
All money raised through submission fees, after the costs of producing the anthology have been met, will be donated to Macmillan Cancer Support.
As a small, independent poetry press, we have deliberately kept the submission fee to just £3. This helps us meet the practical costs of producing the anthology while giving poets an affordable opportunity to share their work, receive a free digital poetry collection and contribute towards a worthwhile cause.
There is no obligation to make any further purchase, and every eligible submission will receive the same editorial consideration.
What Will You Protect?
We want this anthology to reflect the extraordinary range of things that matter to us, from threatened landscapes and disappearing traditions to individual freedoms, personal memories and the small, everyday things that make life worth living.
We are not looking for a single argument or political position. We are looking for imaginative, accomplished poetry that challenges us to think differently about what protection means and why it matters.
Submissions close at 11:59pm (UK time) on 31 December 2026.
We look forward to discovering what you believe is worth protecting.
Nine Pens. Fierce and for everyone.
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