Billy-Ray Belcourt, Canisia Lubrin, Phoebe Wang longlisted for 2018 poetry prizes

The League of Canadian Poets announced on World Poetry Day (March 21, 2018) the longlists for its 2018 Poetry Awards, including the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award, the Pat Lowther Memorial Awardand the Raymond Souster Award.

This year is the first time the organization has released thelonglists of the award finalists. Poets on multiplelonglistsincludeBilly-Ray Belcourt, Canisia LubrinandPhoebe Wang.

• Billy-RayBelcourton writing an 'instruction manual for a queer Indigenous future'
• Canisia Lubrin evokes the folkloric magic of St. Lucia in a poetic takedown of contemporary racism
• Why Phoebe Wang explores Canada's landscape in her poetry

The Gerald Lampert Memorial Awardand Pat Lowther Memorial Award have been awarded annually since 1981 and are given to a new book of poetry by an emerging Canadian writer and a work by a female Canadian poet, respectively. The Raymond Souster Award, started in 2013, is presented annually for a book of poetry by aLeague member published in the preceding year. Each award carries a $1,000 prize.

See the complete2018 Poetry Awards longlists below.

Gerald Lampert Memorial Award:

• This Wound is a Worldby Billy-Ray Belcourt
• Iolaireby Karen Clavelle
• Faunicsby Jack Davis
• Thin Air of the Knowableby Wendy Donawa
• Voodoo Hypothesisby Canisia Lubrin
• The Divining Poolby Amanda Merritt
• Otolithby Emily Nilsen
• The Panic Roomby Rebecca Ppucaru
• The Rules of the Kingdomby Julie Paul
• Better Natureby Fenn Stewart
• Admission Requirementsby Phoebe Wang
• Fragments, Desireby Onjana Yawnghwe

Pat Lowther Memorial Award:

• Indianlandby Lesley Belleau
• Feel Happier in Nine Secondsby Linda Besner
• The Corpses of the Futureby Lynn Crosbie
• Bicycle Thievesby Mary di Michele
• Museum of Kindnessby Susan Elmslie
• Breathing at Duskby Beth Goobie
• Penelopeby Sue Goyette
• Linger Stillby Aislinn Hunter
• Sirenby Kateri Lanthier
• Voodoo Hypothesisby Canisia Lubrin
• Little Wildheartby Micheline Maylor
• All We Sawby Anne Michaels
• Otolithby Emily Nilsen
• Dear Ghostby Catherine Owen
• Thing Isby Suzannah Showler
• Admission Requirementsby Phoebe Wang

Raymond Souster Award:

• This Wound is a Worldby Billy-Ray Belcourt
• Late Styleby Barry Dempster
• Thin Air of the Knowableby Wendy Donawa
• The Better Monstersby Puneet Dutt
• Cloud Physicsby Karen Enns
• Slow Warby Benjamin Hertwig
• Trailer Park Elegyby Cornelia Hoogland
• Beautiful Children with Pet Foxesby Jennifer LoveGrove
• Voodoo Hypothesisby Canisia Lubrin
• Little Wildheartby Micheline Maylor
• This Realby Concetta Principe
• Dead White Menby Shane Rhodes
• Mischiefby John Terpstra

The 2018 Poetry Awards shortlistswill be announced on April 30, 2018. The winners will be revealed at a galain Toronto on June 16, 2018.