The Science Museum Group is once again inviting poets to submit a piece based on objects in our collection – especially those Never Been Seen by the public before or objects found using our random object generator tool. Anyone and everyone is welcome to submit a poem
My millennial brain can’t be sure what you’re for,
strange bug sending messages
across the world…
from Jigger Poem by Emilie Lauren Jones, 2022 finalist.
The Science Museum Group cares for 7.3 million items that span science, technology, engineering, medicine, transport, and media. From space modules to netsuke, microbiome yogurt to homemade COVID-19 masks: these objects are often unusual, all important and unbelievably fantastic.
All of last year’s submissions were incredible. We had calligrams to tercets. Poems on elephant booties and pockmarked face of the moon. Poems which questioned the purpose of a jigger and commented on love. That is to say a huge variety of poems, all of which created new, wonderful ways of seeing the objects in our collection and demonstrated the value of poetry in understanding science. You can read last year’s finalists to perhaps find the inspiration you need to consider submitting your own poem!
The length and form of your poem needs no limit. It can be inspired by historical fact or your own imagination.
The deadline for submissions is Sunday 24 September, midnight. Entries should be sent to [email protected]. All submissions will be reviewed by a panel and successful poems will be posted on our platforms on National Poetry Day, Thursday 5 October. T&Cs apply.