Judges

Every year, the Griffin Trustees select a panel of qualified judges of stature. As stipulated in the Griffin Poetry Prize rules, judges may not be on salary at a publishing house that issues contemporary poetry.

From the hundreds of books submitted and read by the designated judges, they compile a shortlist of up to seven outstanding books of poetry: four International and three Canadian. From the shortlist, the judges will select the final winners in the International and Canadian categories. Shortlisted Canadian books are eligible for both prizes.

The judges have absolute discretion in interpreting the rules, and their decision is final. All decisions of the judges are also unanimous.

Here are the esteemed judges who have awarded the Griffin Poetry Prize each year since its inception. Click the year to view full biographies for that year’s judges.

2021

  • Ilya Kaminsky
  • Aleš Šteger
  • Souvankham Thammavongsa

2020

  • Paula Meehan
  • Kei Miller
  • Hoa Nguyen

2019

  • Ulrikka Gernes
  • Kim Maltman
  • Srikanth Reddy

2018

  • Sarah Howe
  • Ben Lerner
  • Ian Williams

2017

  • Sue Goyette
  • Joan Naviyuk Kane
  • George Szirtes

2016

  • Alice Oswald
  • Tracy K. Smith
  • Adam Sol

2015

  • Tim Bowling
  • Fanny Howe
  • Piotr Sommer

2014

  • Robert Bringhurst
  • Jo Shapcott
  • C.D. Wright

2013

  • Suzanne Buffam
  • Mark Doty
  • Wang Ping

2012

  • Heather McHugh
  • David O’Meara
  • Fiona Sampson

2011

  • Tim Lilburn
  • Colm Toíbín
  • Chase Twichell

2010

  • Anne Carson
  • Kathleen Jamie
  • Carl Phillips

2009

  • Saskia Hamilton
  • Dennis O’Driscoll
  • Michael Redhill

2008

  • George Bowering
  • James Lasdun
  • Pura López Colomé

2007

  • John Burnside
  • Charles Simic
  • Karen Solie

2006

  • Lavinia Greenlaw
  • Lisa Robertson
  • Eliot Weinberger

2005

  • Simon Armitage
  • Erin Moure
  • Tomaž Šalamun

2004

  • Billy Collins
  • Bill Manhire
  • Phyllis Webb

2003

  • Michael Longley
  • Sharon Olds
  • Sharon Thesen

2002

  • Dionne Brand
  • Robert Creeley
  • Michael Hofmann

2001

  • Carolyn Forché
  • Dennis Lee
  • Paul Muldoon

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