2023 Longlist Announcement

TORONTO – March 15, 2023 – The Griffin Poetry Prize is pleased to announce the 2023 Longlist.

Judges Nikola Madzirov (Macedonia), Gregory Scofield (Canada), and Natasha Trethewey (USA) each read 602 books of poetry, including 54 translations from 20 languages, submitted by 229 publishers from 20 different countries.

Tasos Livaditis – Poems, Volume II ● Manolis Aligizakis, Canada, translated from the Greek written by Tasos Livaditis, Greece, Libros Libertad

The Study of Human Life ● Joshua Bennett, USA, Penguin Books

The Threshold ● Robyn Creswell, USA, translated from the Arabic written by Iman Mersal, Egypt/Canada, Farrar, Straus and Giroux

The Jaguar ● Sarah Holland-Batt, Australia, University of Queensland Press

The Hurting Kind ● Ada Limón, USA, Corsair Poetry

Exculpatory Lilies ● Susan Musgrave, Canada, McClelland & Stewart

Balladz ● Sharon Olds, USA, Alfred A. Knopf

Best Barbarian ● Roger Reeves, USA, W. W. Norton

Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head ● Warsan Shire, Somali/UK, Penguin Canada

Time Is a Mother ● Ocean Vuong, Vietnam/USA, Cape Poetry, and Penguin Press

The five shortlisted books will be announced on Wednesday, April 19, 2023.

The winner will be announced at the Griffin Poetry Prize Readings to be held at Koerner Hall on Wednesday, June 7, and will be awarded $130,000. The other shortlisted finalists will each receive $10,000.

Tickets for the 2023 Griffin Poetry Prize Readings are now on sale and can be purchased at the box office of Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor Street West or online.

General Admission, inc. 2023 Anthology – $30.00

Senior/Student, inc. 2023 Anthology – $25.00

Note to Booksellers: Griffin Poetry Prize book stickers are supplied free of charge. Please contact Ruth Smith at info@griffinpoetryprize.com to place an order.

Media Inquiries: Melissa Shirley, (647) 389-9510, publicity@griffinpoetryprize.com

General Inquiries: Ruth Smith, Executive Director, (905) 618-0420, info@griffinpoetryprize.com