Forward Prizes

The shortlists for the 17th annual Forward Prizes for Poetry, one of the UK’s most valuable poetry prizes, were announced on Friday 1 August 2008.

Three Bridport Prize winners compete with Seamus Heaney and Don Paterson for The Forward Prize for Best Single Poem in memory of Michael Donaghy (£1,000 – sponsored by the Forward Arts Foundation)

   Christopher Buehlman    Wanton
   Catherine Ormell         Campaign Desk, December 1812
   Kate Rhodes                Wells-next-the-Sea

Whose poems were chosen by our 2007 judge, Don Paterson, also shortlisted for his poem, Love Poem for Natalie 'Tusja' Beridze

In addition, shortlisted for the The Felix Dennis Prize for Best First Collection (£5,000 – sponsored by Felix Dennis and the Forward Arts Foundation) is Kathryn Simmonds for Sunday at the Skin Launderette (a winner with the Bridport Prize in 2005)

Frieda Hughes, poet, author and painter is Chair of Judges of the Forward Prizes 2008. She is joined by Fleur Adcock, OBE poet and fellow of The Royal Society of Literature, Alan Brownjohn, poet and novelist, Lemn Sissay, poet and artist in residence at Southbank Centre and Nathalie Whittle, poetry editor of Financial Times.

The Forward Prizes were founded by William Sieghart in 1992 to raise the profile of contemporary poetry and are sponsored by The Forward Group. Worth a total of £16,000, the Forward Prizes reward both established and up-and-coming poets.

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Forward Prizes

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