The Forward Prizes for Poetry shortlists bring together the most exciting poetry written and performed in the UK and Ireland. The four prize categories showcase exceptional voices and demonstrate the range and ambition of poetry today.

The 2024 Forward Prizes for Poetry are judged by Craig Charles (Chair), Jane Clarke, Vanessa Kisuule, Alycia Pirmohamed and Daniel Sluman.

'I am heartened by the astonishing breadth of styles and themes that contemporary poetry currently has to offer. The poems that stood out to me had a distinct and self-possessed voice, were unafraid to have fun and be funny even when addressing the starkest of subjects.'  – Vanessa Kisuule

The annual ceremony brings poetry's biggest names to perform alongside rising talent before diverse and enthusiastic audiences. Over the last three decades, the Prizes have recognised many of contemporary literature's most celebrated names: Simon Armitage, Thom Gunn, Seamus Heaney, Ted Hughes, Carol Ann Duffy, Claudia Rankine and Vahni Capildeo.

This year's shortlists are: 

The Forward Prize for Best Collection

Rachael Allen - God Complex 

Victoria Chang - With My Back to the World 

Ella Frears - Goodlord: An Email 

Fady Joudah - […] 

Sarah Wimbush - STRIKE 

The Felix Dennis Prize for Best First Collection 

Sanah Ahsan - I cannot be good until you say it 

Jasmine Cooray - Inheritance  

Marjorie Lotfi - The Wrong Person to Ask 

Kelly Michels - American Anthem 

Charlotte Shevchenko Knight - Food for the Dead 

The Forward Prize for Best Single Poem - Written 

Vasiliki Albedo - 'On hearing the seismologist say there could be an 8.5R earthquake near Athens' 

Derek Chan - 'A Craft Talk on the Praxis of an August Afternoon' 

Lisa Kelly - 'I Wanted to Show You a Donkey in the Field Or I Want to Show You the Donkey in a Field' 

Tife Kusoro - 'the only other dark-skinned girl' 

Cindy Juyoung Ok - 'Ward of One' 

The Jerwood Prize for Best Single Poem - Performed 

Nasim Rebecca Asl - 'Choose your own adventure: Fill in the (___blank___)' 

Toby Campion - 'ghazal, screaming'

Eve Esfandiari-Denney - 'Nearly While Girl Girling on Behalf of Proximity to Mammal'

Leyla Josephine - 'Dear John Berger'

Michel Pedersen - 'What Grief Feels Like to Me' 

Save the Dates

Forward Prizes Ceremony 

Thursday 10th October, Durham & Online 

 The Forward Prizes Ceremony will take place at the Durham Book Festival and online. All the shortlisted poets will be invited to perform before the winners are revealed. 

@ForwardPrizes