2025 Shortlist Announcement

TORONTO – April 23, 2025 – The Griffin Poetry Prize is pleased to announce the 2025 Shortlist.

Judges Nick Laird, Anne Michaels, and Tomasz Różycki each read 578 books of poetry, including 47 translations from 20 languages, submitted by 219 publishers from 17 different countries.

The winner will be announced at the Griffin Poetry Prize Readings to be held at Koerner Hall in Toronto on Wednesday, June 4, and will be awarded $130,000. The other shortlisted finalists will each receive $10,000.

The evening will include readings by the 2025 shortlisted poets, the Lifetime Recognition Award recipient — to be announced on May 7 — and the Canadian First Book Prize winner — to be announced on May 21. The event will also feature a recitation by one of the 2025 Finalists of Poetry in Voice/Les voix de la poésie, a Canada-wide school recitation competition.

Tickets for the 2025 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. 2025 Anthology – $30.00

Senior/Student, inc. 2025 Anthology – $25.00

To purchase this year’s Griffin Poetry Prize Anthology, contact your favourite bookstore to pre-order. If you’re interested in anthologies from previous years, visit the House of Anansi Press.

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.