Sarah Broom Poetry Prize

The Sarah Broom Poetry Prize is one of New Zealand's most valuable poetry prizes. It was established to celebrate the life and work of New Zealand poet Sarah Broom. The prize was first awarded in 2014.

History

The Sarah Broom Poetry Prize was established to honour the life and work of Sarah Broom (1972–2013).[1] Sarah Broom was a poet, Oxford graduate, university lecturer and mother of three children.[2] She was the author of Tigers at Awhitu (Carcanet and AUP, 2010) and Gleam (AUP, 2013).[3]

The prize was established by her husband, Michael Gleissner, and friends to remember her love of poetry, zest for life and spirit of imagination and determination[4] and as a celebration of poetry in New Zealand.[5]

In its first year, the Sarah Broom Poetry Prize attracted 300 entries.[5] The winner was announced at the Auckland Writers Festival on 18 May 2014 and the prize was awarded to C K Stead (by video, in his absence) by guest judge Sam Hunt.[6][4] The winning poems were described as "enormously diverse in their emotional range, from tender observations on his wife Kay, his neighbours, and the passing of time, to an acerbic and hilarious poem on the death of Derrida."[5]

Eligibility and conditions

The prize is awarded on the basis of an original collection of poems by a New Zealand resident or citizen.[7]

The prize is open to emerging or established New Zealand poets.

Poets are required to submit six to eight poems (at least five unpublished).[8]

The award carries a monetary prize. There is also a requirement for the winner to carry out readings and workshops in local schools, as a way of widening the reach of poetry into the community and continuing the poetic legacy of Sarah Broom.[5]

List of winners by year

2014

Winner: C.K. Stead.

Other finalists: Emma Neale,[9] Kirsti Whalen.[10]

2015

Winner: Diana Bridge.

Other finalists: Alice Miller, Ashleigh Young.[11]

2016

Winner:  Elizabeth Smither.[12]

Other finalists: Airini Beautrais, Amanda Hunt.[13]

2017

Winner: Hera Lindsay Bird.

Other finalists: Sandi King, Cliff Fell.[14]

2018

Winner: Jane Arthur.[15]

Other finalists: Stuart Airey, Wes Lee, Robyn Maree Pickens.[16][17]

2019

Winner: Jessica Le Bas.[18]

Other finalists: Nina Mingya Powles, Michael Steven.[18]

2020

No award made.[19]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Sarah Broom Poetry Prize – 2018 Winner". Sarah Broom: the life and work of a New Zealand poet. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  2. ^ "About Sarah". Sarah Broom: the life and work of a New Zealand poet. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  3. ^ "Poet defies the odds". The Big Idea. 25 March 2010. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  4. ^ a b "In Memory of Sarah". Eric James & Associates. 28 June 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  5. ^ a b c d "Poems by the Sarah Broom Poetry Prize finalists". New Zealand Book Council: Te Kaunihera Pukapuka o Aotearoa. 15 May 2014. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  6. ^ Dastgheib, Shabnam (18 May 2014). "C.K. Stead wins poetry prize". Stuff. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  7. ^ "Entries for Sarah Broom Poetry Prize 2017 are now open". New Zealand Book Council: Te Kaunihera Pukapuka o Aotearoa. 9 February 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  8. ^ "Entries open Sarah Broom Poetry Prize". ANZL Academy of New Zealand Literature: Te Whare Mātātuhi o Aotearoa. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  9. ^ Benson, Nigel (1 May 2014). "Neale shortlisted for poetry prize". Otago Daily Times. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  10. ^ Green, Paula (18 May 2014). "The winner of The Sarah Broom Poetry Award has been announced". NZ Poetry Shelf. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  11. ^ Carlisle, Talia (26 May 2015). "Diana Bridge celebrates poetry prize win all the way to New York". Stuff. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  12. ^ Baker, Brittany (18 May 2016). "New Plymouth poet Elizabeth Smither wins 2016 Sarah Broom Prize". Stuff. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  13. ^ "Elizabeth Smither wins Sarah Broom Poetry Prize". Auckland University Press. 16 May 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  14. ^ "Hera Lindsay Bird wins 2017 Sarah Broom Prize". Victoria University of Wellington: International Institute of Modern Letters. 21 May 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  15. ^ "Sarah Bloom Poet Prize winner Jane Arthur". Radio New Zealand. 25 May 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  16. ^ "Wellington poet Jane Arthur is the winner of the Sarah Broom Poetry Prize 2018". Booksellers NZ. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  17. ^ Green, Paula (20 May 2018). "The Sarah Broom Prize 2018 winner …". NZ Poetry Shelf. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
  18. ^ a b "Winner announced ‐ Sarah Broom Poetry Prize 2019". Sarah Broom Poetry Prize. 18 May 2019. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  19. ^ "Sarah Broom Poetry Prize in 2020". Sarah Broom Poetry Prize. 19 February 2020. Archived from the original on 30 January 2023. Retrieved 11 August 2020.