To mark the 25th anniversary of the T. S. Eliot Prize, the T. S. Eliot Foundation has increased the winner’s prize money to £25,000. Judges W. N. Herbert (Chair), James Lasdun and Helen Mort have chosen the Shortlist from a record 154 poetry collections submitted by publishers.
Tara Bergin, The Tragic Death of Eleanor Marx (Carcanet Press)
Caroline Bird, In these Days of Prohibition (Carcanet Press)
Douglas Dunn, The Noise of a Fly (Faber & Faber)
Leontia Flynn, The Radio (Cape Poetry)
Roddy Lumsden, So Glad I’m Me (Bloodaxe Books)
Michael Symmons Roberts, Mancunia (Cape Poetry)
Robert Minhinnick, Diary of the Last Man (Carcanet Press)
James Sheard, The Abandoned Settlements (Cape Poetry)
Jacqueline Saphra, All My Mad Mothers (Nine Arches Press)
Ocean Vuong, Night Sky with Exit Wounds (Cape Poetry)
Chair W. N. Herbert said: ‘This was a very strong year, and it was a privilege to read so many books that possessed as well as intrigued us; our Shortlist explores grief, pleasure, place and history in a formidable variety of ways.’
The T. S. Eliot Prize is run by The T. S. Eliot Foundation. This is the richest prize in British poetry, with the winning poet receiving a cheque for £25,000 and the shortlisted poets each receiving £1,500.
The T. S. Eliot Prize Shortlist Readings will take place on Sunday 14 January 2018 in Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall. The shortlist readings are the largest annual poetry event in the UK and will be hosted once again by Ian McMillan. Tickets are now on sale from Southbank Centre’s ticket office on 0203 879 9555 or online.
The winner of the 2017 Prize will be announced at the Award Ceremony on Monday 15 January 2018, where the winner and the shortlisted poets will be presented with their cheques. This continues the tradition started by Mrs Valerie Eliot, who provided the prize money from the inception of the Prize.
Last year’s winner was Jacob Polley for Jackself (Picador). The judges were Ruth Padel (Chair), Julia Copus and Alan Gillis.
The weekly T. S. Eliot Prize newsletter will provide essential background on the shortlisted poets, including links to specially-commissioned new videos and reviews. To receive regular news, sign up.
