Poetry call-out for new book exploring the language of grief

People are being invited to explore the power of poetry for a new book focusing on child loss, parenthood, identity and language.

‘No Name For My Loss’ will be the fourth anthology from The Hope Collective, a project launched in November 2024 by the research and development team at South West Yorkshire Partnership Teaching NHS Foundation Trust in collaboration with the National Poetry Centre.

There are words for many kinds of loss, yet there is no widely recognised word for a parent who has lost their child. ‘No Name For My Loss’ will give people a space to reflect on what it means to be a bereaved parent and the importance – or not – of naming their grief.

The Hope Collective explores how poetry can support connection, giving voice to the unspoken and unheard. Across its first three anthologies, the project received almost 650 poems from across 22 countries.

Associate director of research and development Luise Marino said: “For some bereaved parents, the absence of a name can feel like another kind of invisibility. Some find meaning in existing words or create language of their own. For others, no new name is wanted or needed, and some resist altogether the idea that grief should become an identity.

“‘No Name For My Loss’ invites poems into that space exploring the limits of language when someone we love has died. Whether your words come from personal experience, reflection or a desire to help others feel less alone, your voice deserves a space to be heard.”

Anyone is welcome to submit a poem. The poem should be around 450 words, and should be written by an individual, not a group, and without using AI. Following the closing date, a small group will choose the poems to include in the ‘No Name For My Loss’ anthology. All participants will receive a copy of the anthology once published.

The deadline for poetry submissions is 1 February 2027. To submit a poem, use the trust's online form. If you’d like support with submissions, contact the research and development team on research@swyt.nhs.uk or 01924 316289.