Ten Books, Ten Poets: The 2026 Griffin Poetry Prize Longlist Is Here

The international Griffin Poetry Prize has unveiled its 2026 longlist, highlighting ten poetry collections from around the world that reflect the breadth and vitality of contemporary verse. Judges Andrea Cote, Luke Hathaway, and Major Jackson reviewed 461 books submitted by 219 publishers across 42 countries, including dozens of works in translation from 19 languages.

The result is a wide-ranging list that moves between intimate lyric, global histories, and formally adventurous poetry. The shortlisted finalists will be announced on April 22, 2026, with the winner revealed during the Griffin Poetry Prize Readings at Koerner Hall on June 3, 2026. The winning poet will receive $130,000, while the remaining shortlisted authors will each be awarded $10,000.

The 2026 Griffin Poetry Prize Longlist

• Gbenga Adesina – Death Does Not End at the Sea (University of Nebraska Press)
• Daniel Borzutzky & Alec Schumacher – Bodies Found in Various Places (Cardboard House Press), translated from Spanish by Elvira Hernández
• Rob Macaisa Colgate – Hardly Creatures (Tin House)
• Marissa Davis – End of Empire (Penguin Books)
• Aracelis Girmay – Green of All Heads (BOA Editions)
• Nick Makoha – The New Carthaginians (Allen Lane)
• Ange Mlinko – Foxglovewise (Faber & Faber)
• Greg Rappleye – Barley Child (University of Arkansas Press)
• Emily Wilson – Burnt Mountain (University of Iowa Press)
• Kevin Young – Night Watch (Alfred A. Knopf)

Notably, this is the first year that Canadian poets have been entirely shut out of the competition at this stage, a development made possible by the previous combination of both the Canadian and International categories into a single, even more sizeable monetary award.

Together, the books represent a broad geographic and stylistic reach, from debut collections to work by established voices with long literary careers. Translation also plays a key role on this year’s list, underscoring the prize’s international focus and the global exchange of poetry.

The longlist marks the first stage in the prize’s annual cycle. Five books will move forward to the shortlist later this spring, ahead of the June readings event in Toronto, a gathering that has become one of the most anticipated moments on the poetry calendar.

Tickets for the June event are already available through the Koerner Hall box office and include admission to the reading along with the 2026 Griffin Poetry Prize anthology.

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The Griffin Poetry Prize is among the world’s most significant prizes in literature, awarded annually for a first-edition poetry collection written in, or translated into, English by a living poet and/or translator from any country.

The winner of the international Griffin Poetry Prize receives C$130,000. The other shortlisted poets each receive C$10,000.

Additionally, the Canadian First Book Prize winner receives a C$10,000 prize, along with a six-week residency in Italy in partnership with the Civitella Ranieri Foundation.