The Griffin Poetry Prize Announces the 2018 International and Canadian Shortlist

TORONTO – April 10, 2018 – Scott Griffin, on behalf of the trustees of The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry, is pleased to announce the International and Canadian shortlist for this year’s prize. Judges Sarah Howe (UK), Ben Lerner (USA), and Ian Williams (Canada) each read 542 books of poetry, from 33 countries, including 17 translations.

The authors of the seven shortlisted books —four International and three Canadian—will be invited to read in Toronto at Koerner Hall at The Royal Conservatory in the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning, 273 Bloor Street West, Toronto, on Wednesday, June 6 at 7.30 p.m.

The finalists will each be awarded $10,000 for their participation in the Shortlist Readings.

The two winners, to be announced at the Griffin Poetry Prize Awards on Thursday, June 7, will each be awarded $65,000.

Announcing the Griffin Poetry Prize 2018 Shortlist

International Shortlist

Heaven is All Goodbyes • Tongo Eisen-Martin
City Lights

Debths • Susan Howe
New Directions

Whereas • Layli Long Soldier
Graywolf Press

Hard Child • Natalie Shapero
Copper Canyon Press

Canadian Shortlist

This Wound is a World • Billy-Ray Belcourt
Frontenac House

I have to live. • Aisha Sasha John
McClelland & Stewart

Same Diff • Donato Mancini
Talonbooks

Tickets for the Shortlist Readings to be held on Wednesday, June 6, at Koerner Hall at The Royal Conservatory in the TELUS Centre for Performance and Learning, 273 Bloor Street West, Toronto are available at https://www.rcmusic.com/events-and-performances/griffin-poetry-prize-readings, or by calling (416) 408-0208.

Each year, The Griffin Trust For Excellence In Poetry presents an anthology of poems selected from the shortlisted books, published by House of Anansi Press. The 2018 Anthology can be purchased at https://houseofanansi.com/products/the-2018-griffin-poetry-prize-anthology.

Note to booksellers: Griffin Poetry Prize book stickers are supplied free of charge by The Griffin Trust. Contact info@griffinpoetryprize.com to place an order. Winner book stickers will be available after June 7.

Please direct other inquiries as follows:

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

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

Shortlisted Publishers’ Web sites:

City Lights:
citylights.com/publishing

Copper Canyon Press:
coppercanyonpress.org

Frontenac House:
frontenachouse.com

Graywolf Press:
graywolfpress.org

McClelland & Stewart:
penguinrandomhouse.ca/imprints/mcclelland-stewart

New Directions:
ndbooks.com

Talonbooks:
www.talonbooks.com

Shortlist summary, poet bios and citations