The Songs That Save Us: An Anthology of Poems
 
Fermata Press invites submissions for its first poetry anthology, planned for publication in 2026.
 
Theme:
Have you ever been inspired by a piece of music? Is your life guided by music? 

Music is a life force. This anthology will celebrate how music and song can transform our lives and, by doing so, change the world. 

Writers are asked to submit up to two (2) poems of any style that reflect upon or are inspired by specific songs or songwriters. The poems could explore similar themes as the songs upon which they are based, or the poems could reflect the writer’s experience listening to the song. To be considered for publication in The Songs That Save Us, a poem must share a title with a song or piece of music, but it cannot quote directly from the lyrics within the poem itself.
 
Rules:

•  The poems must original work. AI-generated or AI-assisted poems are not eligible;
• The submission cannot have been previously published. Fermata Press will acquire First Serial Rights, meaning the poem will be published in the anthology and, perhaps, online. Fermata Press assumes no further ownership of the work. Authors retain copyright of their work;
• The poems in the anthology will celebrate a well-known song. The poems cannot quote from the song;
• The poem will be titled for the song that inspired it. For example, a poem might reflect on the themes of, or the experience of listening to, Gordon Lightfoot’s “Canadian Railway Trilogy.”  The poem will adopt the title but cannot quote directly from the song.
• Please follow submission instructions carefully. Submit only two (2) poems in a WORD doc along with your name and contact information. Include a cover letter describing your writing history, previous publications if any, and the titles of the songs that inspired your poems. Submit as a single WORD doc attachment. Poems are to be single spaced with double space between stanzas. Please use 12 point font Times New Roman or Arial;
• All contributors will receive two (2) copies of the anthology as well as a small honorarium to be determined;
• Send submissions as an attachment to songsthatsaveus at fermatapress dot com  or EMAIL
• Submissions will be accepted until November 30, 2025

 
 
         Established in 2023 by musician, writer, and educator Mark Dunn, Fermata Press entered the world with a bang. Its first title, You Get Bigger as You Go: Bruce Cockburn’s Influence and Evolution, won a bronze medal from the Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY) and was named a Finalist in the Independent Author’s Network Awards (IANs). The book has been featured in The Globe and Mail, The Literary Review of Canada, CBC Radio, National Public Radio, Wisconsin Public Radio, and other media. For more information:   www.fermatapress.com