The Empathy Poems project is designed to raise awareness about the plight of asylum seekers and refugees.
Please submit your contribution (in Word format) here: submissions@empathypoems.com.au
Poems will be lightly edited only if necessary, and your original poem of inspiration will be included via a link at the end to an existing website (such as Poetry Foundation).
Please read the below list of guidelines before submission.
You are free to choose any poem that inspires you to compose your own, and any of the Empathy Poems here will show how that is possible.
We suggest a poem that you are personally attached to, perhaps because it is a childhood favourite, or by a poet whose work you love and admire.
Please remember to indicate (or include) the poem that you are responding to.
Some copyright issues may need to be checked first; any acknowledgements needed to be made should be clearly stated at the end of the poem.
1. Participation in the project is open to any contributors who are sympathetic to and supportive of the idea.
2. Contributors freely offer their poems, to be published on the Empathy Poems website as its principal outlet.
3. Contributors undertake to clear any permissions relating to poems in copyright that they use as their source of inspiration.
4. All original poems used as the source of inspiration will be acknowledged with access provided to readers via links.
5. Minor editorial and/or formatting changes may be made prior to publication, and any major changes will be referred to the author.
6. No payment is offered but contributors retain copyright in their own poems and may republish these as they choose.
7. Permission for public readings/broadcasts of the Empathy Poems will be sought from each contributor.
8. Permission for subsequent republication of the Empathy Poems (for example in a book format) will be sought from each contributor.
9. Multiple rewrites or responses to the one poem may be used in the project.
10. The Empathy Project reserves the right not to accept any entries deemed unsuitable.
Contributions in Word format should be emailed to: submissions@empathypoems.com.au