Forward Poetry Prize winners.

The Forward Poetry Prizes were launched in 1991 to bring the public's attention to contemporary poetry. They are the richest annual awards in the UK, with a total prize value of £16,000, to reward both established and up-and-coming poets.

2008.
Cover of the Forward Book of Poetry 2009.
Best collection 2008.Best collection 2008.

Mick Imlah The Lost Leader

Best first collection 2008.Best first collection 2008.

Kathryn Simmonds Sunday at the Skin Launderette

Best single poem 2008.Best single poem 2008.

Don Paterson Love Poem For Natalie 'Tusja' Beridze

2007.
Cover of the Forward Book of Poetry 2008.
Best collection 2007.Best collection 2007.

Sean O'Brien The Drowned Book

Best first collection 2007.Best first collection 2007.

Daljit Nagra Look We Have Coming to Dover!

Best single poem 2007.Best single poem 2007.

Alice Oswald Dunt

2006.
Cover of the Forward Book of Poetry 2007.
Best collection 2006.Best collection 2006.

Robin Robertson Swithering (Picador)

Best first collection 2006.Best first collection 2006.

Tishani Doshi Countries of the Body (Aark Arts)

Best single poem 2006.Best single poem 2006.

Sean O'Brien Fantasia on a Theme of James Wright (Poetry Review)

2005.
Cover of the Forward Book of Poetry 2006.
Best collection 2005.Best collection 2005.

David Harsent Legion (Faber & Faber)

Best first collection 2005.Best first collection 2005.

Helen Farish Intimates (Jonathan Cape)

Best single poem 2005.Best single poem 2005.

Paul Farley Liverpool Disappears for a Billionth of a Second (The North)

2004.
Cover of the Forward Book of Poetry 2005.
Best collection 2004.Best collection 2004.

Kathleen Jamie The Tree House (Picador)

Best first collection 2004.Best first collection 2004.

Leontia Flyn These Days (Jonathan Cape)

Best single poem 2004.Best single poem 2004.

Daljit Nagra Look We Have Coming To Dover! (Poetry Review)

2003.
Cover of the Forward Book of Poetry 2004.
Best collection 2003.Best collection 2003.

Ciaran Carson Breaking News (The Gallery Press)

Best first collection 2003.Best first collection 2003.

A.B. Jackson Fire Stations (Anvil Press)

Best single poem 2003.Best single poem 2003.

Robert Minhinnick The Fox in the National Museum of Wales (Poetry London)

2002.
Cover of the Forward Book of Poetry 2003.
Best collection 2002.Best collection 2002.

Peter Porter Max is Missing (Picador)

Best first collection 2002.Best first collection 2002.

Tom French Touching the Bones (The Gallery Press)

Best single poem 2002.Best single poem 2002.

Mebdh McGuckian She is in the Past, She has this Grace (The Shop)

2001.
Cover of the Forward Book of Poetry 2002.
Best collection 2001.Best collection 2001.

Sean O'Brien Downriver (Picador)

Best first collection 2001.Best first collection 2001.

John Stammers The Panoramic Lounge Bar (Picador)

Best single poem 2001.Best single poem 2001.

Ian Duhig The Lammas Hireling

2000.
Cover of the Forward Book of Poetry 2001.
Best collection 2000.Best collection 2000.

Michael Donaghy Conjure (Picador)

Best first collection 2000.Best first collection 2000.

Andrew Waterhouse In (The Rialto)

Best single poem 2000.Best single poem 2000.

Tessa Biddington The Death of Descartes

1999.
Cover of the Forward Book of Poetry 2000.
Best collection 1999.Best collection 1999.

Jo Shapcott My Life Asleep (Oxford University Press)

Best first collection 1999.Best first collection 1999.

Nick Drake The Man in the White Suit (Bloodaxe)

Best single poem 1999.Best single poem 1999.

Robert Minhinnick Twenty-five Laments for Iraq

1998.
Cover of the Forward Book of Poetry 1999.
Best collection 1998.Best collection 1998.

Ted Hughes Birthday Letters (Faber and Faber)

Best first collection 1998.Best first collection 1998.

Paul Farley The Boy from the Chemist is Here to See You (Picador)

Best single poem 1998.Best single poem 1998.

Sheenagh Pugh Envying Owen Beattie

1997.
Cover of the Forward Book of Poetry 1998.
Best collection 1997.Best collection 1997.

Jamie McKendrick The Marble Fly (Oxford University Press)

Best first collection 1997.Best first collection 1997.

Robin Robertson A Painted Field (Picador)

Best single poem 1997.Best single poem 1997.

Lavinia Greenlaw A World Where News Travelled Slowly

1996.
Cover of the Forward Book of Poetry 1997.
Best collection 1996.Best collection 1996.

John Fuller Stones and Fires (Chatto & Windus)

Best first collection 1996.Best first collection 1996.

Kate Clanchy Slattern (Chatto & Windus)

Best single poem 1996.Best single poem 1996.

Kathleen Jamie The Graduates

1995.
Cover of the Forward Book of Poetry 1996.
Best collection 1995.Best collection 1995.

Sean O'Brien Ghost Train (Oxford University Press)

Best first collection 1995.Best first collection 1995.

Jane Duran Breathe Now, Breathe (Enitharmon Press)

Best single poem 1995.Best single poem 1995.

Jenny Joseph In Honour of Love

1994.
Cover of the Forward Book of Poetry 1995.
Best collection 1994.Best collection 1994.

Alan Jenkins Harm (Chatto & Windus)

Best first collection 1994.Best first collection 1994.

Kwame Dawes Progeny of Air (Peepal Tree)

Best single poem 1994.Best single poem 1994.

Iain Crichton Smith Autumn

1993.
Cover of the Forward Book of Poetry 1994.
Best collection 1993.Best collection 1993.

Carol Ann Duffy Mean Time (Anvil Press)

Best first collection 1993.Best first collection 1993.

Don Paterson Nil Nil (Faber and Faber)

Best single poem 1993.Best single poem 1993.

Vicki Feaver Judith

1992.
Cover of the Forward Book of Poetry 1993.
Best collection 1992.Best collection 1992.

Thom Gunn The Man with Night Sweats (Faber and Faber)

Best first collection 1992.Best first collection 1992.

Simon Armitage Kid (Faber and Faber)

Best single poem 1992.Best single poem 1992.

Jackie Kay Black Bottom

The Forward Book of Poetry.

For annual anthologies of the best short listed poems, and Poems of the Decade, featuring 127 poets from ten years of the Forward Poetry Prize, visit Faber and Faber

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