2023 Book Awards Shortlists

The League of Canadian Poets is proud to present the 2023 Book Awards Shortlists, including the  Gerald Lampert Memorial Award , the  Pat Lowther Memorial Award , and the  Raymond Souster Award .



The winners – who will each receive $2000 thanks to funding from  Canada Council for the Arts   ,   Ontario Arts Council  and  Toronto Arts Council , – will be announced on May 4, 2023. This announcement will be shared via our newsletter and social media, so be sure to follow  @CanadianPoets  to keep up to date on all the latest announcements and news.



The winners of the 2023 Book Awards will be announced on May 4, 2022. 



Read the longlists







2023 GERALD LAMPERT MEMORIAL AWARD SHORTLIST



Awarded annually since 1981, the  Gerald Lampert Memorial Award  is given in the memory of Gerald Lampert, an arts administrator who organized author tours and took a particular interest in the work of new writers. The award recognizes a first book of poetry published by a Canadian writer in the preceding year. The award carries a $2000 prize and is sponsored by the LCP.



Thank you to the jurors of the Gerald Lampert Memorial Award: Jannie Edwards, Alvy Carragher and Greg Santos!







MONUMENT  by Manahil Bandukwala ( Brick Books )



Transcribing Moonlight  by Skylar Kay ( Frontenac House )



Orion Sweeping  by Anne Marie Todkill ( Brick Books )



Shapeshifters  by Délani Valin ( Nightwood Editions )



My Grief, the Sun  by Sanna Wani ( House of Anansi )



Whitemud Walking  by Matthew James Weigel ( Coach House Books )







See the Press package including author photos, bios, and juror comments: 2023 Gerald Lampert Memorial Award Shortlist







2023 PAT LOWTHER MEMORIAL AWARD LONGLIST



The  Pat Lowther Memorial Award  is given for a book of poetry by a woman in Canada, and is in memory of the late Pat Lowther, whose career was cut short by her untimely death in 1975.  The award carries a $2,000 prize. This award is inclusive of trans women and non-binary individuals who feel comfortable being recognized by a women’s prize.



Thank you to the jurors of the Pat Lowther Memorial Award: Jaclyn Desforges, Elee Kraljii Gardiner and Jody Chan!






Tender  by Sylvia D. Hamilton ( Gaspereau Press )



Shadow Blight  by Annick MacAskill ( Gaspereau Press )



HARROWINGS  by Cecily Nicholson ( TalonBooks )



A Is for Acholi  by Otoniya J. Okot Bitek ( Wolsak & Wynn )



Boat  by Lisa Robertson ( Coach House Books )



Quiet Night Think  by Gillian Sze ( ECW Press )







See the Press package including author photos, bios, and juror comments: 2023 Pat Lowther Memorial Award Shortlist







2023 RAYMOND SOUSTER LONGLIST



The  Raymond Souster Award  is given for a book of poetry by a League of Canadian Poets member. The award honours Raymond Souster, an early founder of the League of Canadian Poets. The award carries a $2,000 prize.



Thank you to the 2022-23 jurors of the Raymond Souster Award: MLA Chernoff, Marjorie Bruhmuller and Evan J!






Vox Humana  by Adebe DeRango-Adem ( Book*hug Press )



Shifting Baseline Syndrome  by Aaron Kreuter ( University of Regina Press )



Another Way to Split Water  by Alycia Pirmohamed ( Birlinn )



Hurricane Watch: New and Collected Poems  by Olive Senior ( Carcanet Press )



Grappling Hook  by Sarah Yi-Mei Tsiang ( Palimpsest Press )



Whitemud Walking  by Matthew James Weigel ( Coach House Books )






See the Press package including author photos, bios, and juror comments: 2023 Raymond Souster Award Shortlist







2022-2023 Jurors 



Thank you to our jurors, for all your hard work and careful reading of the incredible poetry released last year!  Learn more about our 2022-23 jurors