National Poetry Day and the Forward Prizes for Poetry belong to a family of poetry events from the Forward Arts Foundation. Founded by William Sieghart, our campaigns work in parallel to provide poetry for everyone, and at the same time to acknowledge excellence. The prizes recognise poetic achievement at every level and are amongst the most valuable in the UK. After almost twenty years, the Forward Prizes remain a brilliant weathervane to show the direction of contemporary poetry. To read about this year's shortlisted poets click here.
The Forward Book of Poetry 2012
The Forward Book of Poetry is published on National Poetry Day every year. It brings together the year’s very best poetry, chosen by the judges of the celebrated Forward Prizes. Here are all the shortlisted and highly commended entrants: the most respected poets of their generation. Amongst them are some shortlisted for the three Forward Prizes – John Burnside, Sean O’Brien, Geoffrey Hill, Michael Longley, Alan Jenkins, Sharon Olds and Jo Shapcott – and commended poets including Lavinia Greenlaw, August Kleinzhaler, Ian Duhig, Wendy Cope and Daljit Nagra.
“Read them all!” - Andrew Motion
An Anthology of the Forward books of poetry 2002 - 2011
This year, we have a further title to celebrate. The Forward Prizes, one of the UK’s most valuable poetry prizes, have recognised and awarded the best in contemporary poetry over the last twenty years. William Sieghart, founder of the Prizes and of National Poetry day, has selected highlights from the past ten years of the Forward Prizes to create one essential anthology, Poems of the Decade.
The poems of the noughties reflect traditional themes and current concerns from relationships, adultery and health to the July 7th London bombings. The anthology includes Carol Ann Duffy, Andrew Motion, Patience Agbabi, Sean O’Brien, Jo Shapcott, Roger McGough, Don Paterson, Gwyneth Lewis, Robin Robertson and Seamus Heaney.
