The Richard Wilbur Award is an American poetry award and publishing prize given by University of Evansville in Indiana. It is named in honor of the American poet Richard Wilbur[A] and was established by William Baer, a professor at the University of Evansville. This biennial competition (awarded in even-numbered years) amongst all American poets awards publication of the winning manuscript by the University of Evansville Press and a small monetary prize.[6]
Open to all American poets, except previous Wilbur Award winners, the contest is "[n]amed in honor of the distinguished American poet Richard Wilbur, and welcomes submissions of unpublished, original poetry collections (public domain or permission-secured translations may comprise up to one-third of the manuscript). ... Winning manuscripts will reflect the thoughtful humanity and careful metrical craftsmanship of Richard Wilbur's poetry." The 2019 contest is being judged by Ned Balbo.[6] The award has an entry fee of $25 per manuscript, and the prize is $1000 plus publication.[7] After the retirement of Dr. William Baer in 2015, Professor Rob Griffith became of the director of the competition.
The submissions are judged without knowing the identity of the contributors.[6]
NPR journalist Michel Martin called it a "prestigious award".[8] Journalist Julie Gunter in National Catholic Reporter considered the award to be "coveted".[9]
The annual competition is conducted by the University of Evansville, is considered "prestigious", and attracts top shelf poets as judges.[10]
Winners
Source 1998-2007:[11]
| Year | Winner | Collection/Work | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Robert Daseler | Levering Avenue | [12][13] |
| 1999 | A. E. Stallings | Archaic Smile | [14][15][16] |
| 2000 | Len Krisak | Even As We Speak | [17][18][19][20][21][22] |
| 2001 | Rhina Espaillat | Rehearsing Absence | [23][24] |
| 2002 | A. M. Juster | The Secret Language of Women | [8] |
| 2003 | Thomas Carper | Distant Blue | [25][26] |
| 2004 | Alfred Nicol | Winter Light | [27][28] |
| 2005 | Chelsea Rathburn | The Shifting Line | [29] |
| 2006 | Richard Wakefield | East of Early Winters | [9][30][31] |
| 2007 | David Stephenson | Rhythm and Blues | [32] |
| 2008 | Deborah Warren | Dream with Flowers and Bowl of Fruit | [33] |
| 2009 | Susan McLean | The Best Disguise | [34][35] |
| 2010 | Marion Shore | Sand Castle | [36] |
| 2011 | Robert W. Crawford | The Empty Chair | [37][38] |
| 2012 | William Bell | The Picnic in the Rain | [39] |
| 2013 | Paul Lake | The Republic of Virtue | [40] |
| 2014 | Maryann Corbett | Mid Evil | [42] |
| 2015 | Midge Goldberg | Snowman's Code | [43][44] |
| 2016 | Catherine Chandler | The Frangible Hour | [45] |
| 2017 | Adam Tavel | Catafalque | [46] |
| 2018 | Ned Balbo | 3 Nights of the Perseids | [47][48] |
| 2019 | Jehanne Dubrow | Simple Machines | [49] |
| 2020 | Aaron Poochigian | American Divine | [49] |
| 2021 | M.B. Smith | Midlife | [50] |
References
Notes
Citations
Bibliography, Richard Wilbur Series Award books in chronological order
- Daseler, Robert (November 1, 1998). Levering Avenue Poems. Richard Wilbur Award, 1 (1st ed.). University of Evansville Press. ISBN 0930982509.
- Stallings, Alicia Elsbeth (1999). Archaic Smile: Poems. Richard Wilbur Award, 2 (1st ed.). University of Evansville Press. ISBN 0930982525.
- Krisak, Len (2000). Even As We Speak. Richard Wilbur Award, 3 (1st ed.). University of Evansville Press. ISBN 0930982533.
- Espaillat, Rhina Polonia (2001). Rehearsing Absence: Poems. Richard Wilbur Award 4 (1st ed.). University of Evansville Press. ISBN 0930982541.
- Juster, A. M. (2001). The secret language of women: poems. Richard Wilbur Award 5 (1st ed.). University of Evansville Press. ISBN 093098255X.
- Carper, Thomas (2003). Distant Blue (Hardcover). Richard Wilbur Award, 6 (1st ed.). University of Evansville Press. ISBN 9780930982577.
- Nicol, Alfred (August 2004). Winter Light (Hardcover). Richard Wilbur Award, 7 (1st ed.). University of Evansville Press. ISBN 0930982584.
- Rathburn, Chelsea (August 2005). The shifting line: poems (Hardcover). Richard Wilbur Award, 8 (1st ed.). University of Evansville Press. ISBN 0930982606.
- Wakefield, Richard (December 5, 2006). East of Early Winters (Hardcover). Richard Wilbur Award, 9 (1st ed.). University of Evansville Press. ISBN 0930982630.
- Stephenson, David (January 1, 2008). Rhythm and Blues (Hardcover). Richard Wilbur Award, 10 (1st ed.). University of Evansville Press. ISBN 978-0930982652.
- Warren, Deborah (December 10, 2008). Dream With Flowers and Bowl of Fruit (Hardcover). Richard Wilbur Award, 11 (1st ed.). University of Evansville Press. ISBN 978-0930982669.
- McLean, Susan (November 20, 2009). The Best Disguise (Hardcover). Richard Wilbur Award, 12 (1st ed.). University of Evansville Press. ISBN 978-0930982683.
- Shore, Marion (January 1, 2011). Sand Castle (Hardcover). Richard Wilbur Award, 13 (1st ed.). University of Evansville Press. ISBN 978-0930982690.
- Crawford, Robert W. (March 23, 2012). The Empty Chair (Hardcover). Richard Wilbur Award, 14 (1st ed.). University of Evansville Press. ISBN 978-0930982706.
- Bell, William F. (December 3, 2012). The Picnic in the Rain (Hardcover). Richard Wilbur Award, 15 (1st ed.). University of Evansville Press. ISBN 978-0930982713.
- Lake, Paul (December 31, 2013). The Republic of Virtue (Hardcover). Richard Wilbur Award, 16 (1st ed.). University of Evansville Press. ISBN 978-0930982737.
- Corbett, Maryann (January 1, 2015). Mid Evil (Hardcover). Richard Wilbur Award, 17 (1st ed.). University of Evansville Press. ISBN 978-0930982744.
- Chandler, Catherine (2016). The Frangible Hour: Poems (Hardcover). Richard Wilbur Award, 18 (1st ed.). University of Evansville Press. ISBN 978-0930982768.
- Goldberg, Midge (March 1, 2016). Snowman's Code (Hardcover). Richard Wilbur Award, 19 (1st ed.). University of Evansville Press. ISBN 978-0930982751.
- Tavel, Adam (June 30, 2018). Catafalque (Hardcover). Richard Wilbur Award, 20 (1st ed.). University of Evansville Press. ISBN 9780930982775.
- Balbo, Ned (January 31, 2019). 3 Nights of the Perseids (Hardcover). Richard Wilbur Award, 21 (1st ed.). University of Evansville Press. ISBN 978-0930982782.