Jen the Librarian | Forward Prizes 2023 @JentheLibrarianreads | Uploaded August 2023 | Updated October 2024, 3 hours ago.
There are four categories in this year’s Forward Prizes, and if you want to know more about what’s in each category then this video should help. Below are links to each collection/poem for you to find out more, try a poem, or watch a video of a performance.

Best First Collection

ISDAL by Susannah Dickey: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/susannah-dickey
A Method, A Path by Rowan Evans: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/rowan-evans
Cane, Corn & Gully by Safiya Kamaria Kinshasa: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/safiya-kamaria-kinshasa
Bad Diaspora Poems by Momtaza Mehri: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/momtaza-mehri
Cowboy by Kandace Siobhan Walker: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/kandace-siobhan-walker


Best Collection

Self Portrait as Othello by Jason Allen-Paisant: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/jason-allen-paisant
Bright Fear by Mary Jean Chan: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/mary-jean-chan-23
A Change in the Air by Jane Clarke: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/jane-clarke
The Ink Cloud Reader by Kit Fan: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/kit-fan
My Name is Abilene by Elisabeth Sennitt Clough: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/elisabeth-sennitt-clough


Best Single Poem - Written


My body tells me that she’s filing for divorce by Kathryn Bevis
About the poet: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/kathryn-bevis
Read the poem: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/kathryn-bevis-my-body-tells-me-divorce

Libation by Malika Booker
About the poet: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/malika-booker-23
Read the poem: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/malika-booker-libation

Oh do you know the Flower Man by Kizziah Burton
About the poet: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/kizziah-burton
Read the poem: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/kizziah-burton-flower-man

The Curse by Breda Spaight
About the poet: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/breda-spaight
Read the poem: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/breda-spaight-the-curse

Fricatives by Eric Yip
About the poet: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/eric-yip
Read the poem: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/eric-yip-fricatives


Best Single Poem - Performed

Human : This Embodied Knowledge by Zena Edwards
About the poet: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/zena-edwards
Watch the poem: youtube.com/watch?v=ZbC5ByB2AuM

The Cat Prince by Michael Pedersen
About the poet: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/michael-pedersen
Watch the poem: youtube.com/watch?v=CQtcZvQHDqk

Almost Certainly by Bohdan Piasecki
About the poet: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/bohdan-piasecki
Watch the poem: youtube.com/watch?v=JGNnIJ8gg3w

The City Kids See the Sea by Roger Robinson
About the poet: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/roger-robinson
Watch the poem: youtube.com/watch?v=UEEbPaD1zGU

And our eyes are on Europe by Nidhi Zak/Aria Eipe
About the poet: forwardartsfoundation.org/forward-prizes-for-poetry/nidhi-zak-aria-eipe
Watch the poem: youtube.com/watch?v=QREZCF5TvQY


00:00 Welcome
02:33 About poetry publishing
05:02 This year’s prize
05:45 Best First Collection
08:25 Best Collection
11:17 Best Single Poem: Written
18:04 Best Single Poem: Performed
22:05 In Conclusion…


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🎵 Outro: soundcloud.com/rexlambo ~ bit.ly/sunrise-rexlambo