Announcing the 2025 Griffin Poetry Prize Winner

DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE

Karen Leeder

Psyche Running Winner

translated from the German written by

Durs Grünbein

Seagull Books

TORONTO – June 4, 2025 – The international Griffin Poetry Prize is pleased to announce the 2025 Griffin Poetry Prize winner, Psyche Running,Karen Leeder, translated from the German written by Durs Grünbein.

The international prize of C$130,000 is shared 60% to the translator, 40% to the original author; each of the other finalists receives C$10,000.

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

The announcement was made at the end of the Griffin Poetry Prize Readings held at Koerner Hall. The evening included readings by the 2025 shortlisted poets, Aaron Coleman, Durs Grünbein, Brian Henry, Karen Leeder, Carl Phillips, Diane Seuss, and Dawn Macdonald—the Canadian First Book Prize winner.

Carolyn Forche, trustee, presented Margaret Atwood with the 2025 Lifetime Recognition Award, followed by a conversation and reading by Margaret Atwood.

Isabella Torres Rangel, 2025 Finalist of Poetry in Voice/Les voix de la poésie, a Canada-wide student recitation competition, recited “Lake Michigan” by Daniel Borzutzky.

The international Griffin Poetry Prize was founded in 2000 to encourage and celebrate excellence in poetry. The prize is for first edition books of poetry written in, or translated into, English and submitted from anywhere in the world.

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.