We keep you updated on the world of poetry with our news roundups.
This week in our poetry news round up we look at the poetry taking place at the Edinburgh International Book Festival and the tenth anniversary line up for the BBC's Contains Strong Language festival. Poetry Takes Centre Stage at the Edinburgh Book Festival The Edinburgh International Book Festival is currently in full swing at the Edinburgh Futures Institute, where it runs until 30th August. ...
This week in our poetry news round up we look at the record-breaking year poetry is having in the bookshops and the winner of the Chair at this year's National Eisteddfod. UK Poetry Sales on Course for a Record Year Poetry is having a moment. Figures from the market researchers NielsenIQ show that poetry sales in the UK passed £8m during the first thirty ...
This week in our poetry news round up we look at the death of the Azerbaijani People's Poet Nariman Hasanzade and the publication of Claudia Rankine's long-awaited new book. People's Poet of Azerbaijan Nariman Hasanzade Dies Aged 95 Nariman Alimammad oghlu Hasanzade, one of the leading figures of modern Azerbaijani literature, died on 1st August 2026 at the age of 95. He had been ...
This week in our poetry news round up we look at the death of the poet and translator Mary de Rachewiltz, keeper of Ezra Pound's legacy, and the announcement of the 2026 Booker Prize longlist. Poet and Translator Mary de Rachewiltz Dies Aged 101 Mary de Rachewiltz, the Italian-American poet and translator who spent much of her long life as the custodian of her ...
This week in our poetry news round up we look at the death of the pioneering spoken word artist Black Ice and the newly announced poetry longlist for the 2026 Nigeria Prize for Literature. Spoken Word Pioneer Black Ice Dies Aged 54 [caption id="attachment_20768" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Photo by Frank Micelotta/Getty Images[/caption] Black Ice, the Philadelphia poet who did as much as anyone to carry spoken word ...
This week in our poetry news round up we look at the newly announced shortlists for the 2026 Forward Prizes for Poetry and the death of the poet and art critic Edward Lucie-Smith. 2026 Forward Prize Shortlists Announced The shortlists for the 2026 Forward Prizes for Poetry were announced on Thursday July 16th, narrowing the field to twenty poets across the four categories. Founded in 1992 by William Sieghart, the Forward Prizes ...
This week in our poetry news round up we look at the announcement of the new Waterstones Children's Laureate and the record-making sale of a rare medieval Arthurian manuscript. Patrice Lawrence Named Waterstones Children's Laureate [caption id="attachment_20711" align="aligncenter" width="1024"] Patrice Lawrence © David Bebber[/caption] Author Patrice Lawrence has been announced as the new Waterstones Children's Laureate for 2026–2028. The bestselling writer, known for her 2016 debut ...
This week in our poetry news round up we take a look at the Ledbury Poetry Festival, which is currently in full swing, and the posthumous collection of last poems from the Pulitzer Prize winner Franz Wright. Ledbury Poetry Festival Underway The Ledbury Poetry Festival, one of the largest and longest-running celebrations of poetry in the UK, is currently taking place in the Herefordshire ...
This week in our poetry news round up we look at the newly announced longlists for the 2026 Forward Prizes for Poetry and some of the names making the cut. Forward Prizes for Poetry Reveal 2026 Longlists The longlists for the 2026 Forward Prizes for Poetry were announced on Monday June 22nd. Founded back in 1992 by William Sieghart, the Forward Prizes have grown ...
This week in our poetry news round up we widen our gaze a little to the broader literary world, as both halves of one of the most significant book prizes for women writers were handed out: the 2026 Women's Prize for Fiction and the Women's Prize for Non-Fiction. Virginia Evans Wins the 2026 Women's Prize ...
