There is often thought, by theists, to be a void in humanist and atheist lives; a god-shaped hole. For many atheists, though, that void is amply filled with meaning and purpose, nobly and morally built up out of philosophy and living a fulfilled life. This volume helps to document that through a wide variety of verse, form, and content with poems from an interesting array of writers, detailing a range of emotions and thoughts.

There has been a void, a lacking, of collections of atheistic artistry, and this selection hopes to remedy such a situation, and in doing so seeks to show how humanists can and do weave lives that are rich tapestries of morality, purpose, awe and wonder.

“Jonathan Pearce has done us a great service in producing this anthology. Filling the Void is eclectic, witty, arresting, philosophical, and fun. It charts a course through the emotional landscape of atheism and fills a niche in humanist literature that’s been vacant for far too long.”

David Warden, Chair of Dorset Humanists

"Read this extraordinary book;

feel the wonder and take delight in the fact that

we are that singular facet of the universe

able to contemplate itself

through science and art

and to create poetry

in the intersection

of the two."

David Fitzgerald, author of Nailed and The Complete Heretic’s Guide to Western Religion series

“Divinity Pearced by worded structure

Wandering from blinding sands to southern birds

Poems for our secular times

This anthology of freethinking poems, ranging from poignant to humorous, from ancient voices to modern songs, encapsulates the thoughts of many secular folks. See what a few meters of these works may do for you and inspire further reflection in a new way.”

Dr Aaron Adair, author of The Star of Bethlehem: A Skeptical View

“In Filling the Void, Jonathan MS Pearce has put together an anthology of valuable literature for humanity. Verse speaks to us in ways that prose cannot, and here, for those lacking belief in God, we find people given an often-silent voice. Sometimes wry, sometimes struggling, sometimes defiant, poignant, or beautiful, the poetry in Filling the Void expresses the contemporary nonbeliever's experience in truly human terms.”

James A. Lindsay, author of Dot, Dot, Dot: Infinity Plus God Equals Folly and Everybody Is Wrong About God