Kathleen Grattan Prize for a Sequence of Poems explained

The Kathleen Grattan Prize for a Sequence of Poems is an annual award for a cycle or sequence of poems with a common link or theme. It is named after Kathleen Grattan, an Auckland poet, who died in 1990. The award was first made in 2009.

History

The Kathleen Grattan Prize for a Sequence of Poems is funded by a bequest from the Jocelyn Grattan Charitable Trust.^[1]

Jocelyn Grattan was the daughter of Kathleen Grattan, an Auckland poet, journalist and former editor of the New Zealand Woman's Weekly. When Jocelyn Grattan died in 2005, she left Landfall a bequest with which to establish an award in her mother’s name (the Kathleen Grattan Award).^{[2] [3]} She also wanted her mother’s love of poetry to be recognised by an annual competition for a sequence or cycle of poems. This competition is run by the International Writers‘ Workshop NZ Inc (IWW).

The inaugural award was made in 2009 and the award is made every year.

Eligibility and conditions

• The award is open to members of International Writers’ Workshop (IWW).
• Entrants should be normally living in New Zealand and must not have won the Prize in the previous three years.
• The entry should be a cycle or sequence of poems with a common link or theme, but with no limit on length.
• Poems must be the entrant’s original and completely unpublished work.
• The winner receives a monetary prize (at present $1,000) and a certificate.

List of winners

• 2009: Alice Hooton (America)
• 2010: Janet Charman (Mother won’t come to us); Rosetta Allan (Capricious Memory)
• 2011: Jillian Sullivan (how to live it)
• 2012: James Norcliffe (What do you call your male parent?)^[4]
• 2013: Belinda Diepenheim (Bittercress and Flax)^[5]
• 2014: Julie Ryan (On Visiting Old Ladies)
• 2015: Maris O'Rourke (Motherings);^[6] Highly Commended — Sue Wootton (Typewriter Songs)^[7]
• 2016: Michael Giacon (Argento in no man land)^[8]
• 2017:  Janet Newman (Tender);^{[9] [10] [11]} Runner-up — Anne Hollier Ruddy (Ambushed by Gauguin)^[12]
• 2018: Heather Bauchop (The Life in Small Deaths);^[13] Runner-up — Gillian Roach (She’s over there, love)^[14]
• 2019: Siobhan Harvey (Ghosts);^[15] Runner-up – Gillian Roach (Mute as Bottles)^[16]
• 2020: Liz Breslin (In bed with the feminists); Runner-up – Sophia Wilson (Attempting to Land)^[17]
• 2021: Robyn Maree Pickens (Juniper); Runners-up – Kerrin Sharpe (Te hau o te atua/The breath of heaven) and Marie McGuigan (The Goose Wing)^[18]
• 2022: Margaret Moores; Runner-up – Lincoln Jacques^[19]
• 2023: Caroline Masters; Runner-up – Sarah Scott^[20]

See also

• Kathleen Grattan Award
• List of New Zealand literary awards

External links

• International Writers' Workshop NZ Inc (IWW) website.

Notes and References

1. Web site: IWW Competition Schedule. International Writers' Workshop NZ Inc. 30 January 2019.
2. Web site: Kathleen Grattan Poetry Award. University of Otago: Otago University Press. 30 January 2019.
3. News: Millionaire's row. Scanlon. Sean. 16 May 2008. Sunday Star-Times. 30 January 2019.
4. Web site: The Kathleen Grattan Prize for a Sequence of Poems 2012. 21 November 2012. Scoop culture. 30 January 2019.
5. Web site: Book Review: Waybread & Flax, by Belinda Diepenheim. 28 June 2016. Booksellers NZ. 30 January 2019.
6. Web site: Mt Eden author wins Kathleen Grattan poetry prize after house fire. Edmonds. Elesha. 3 December 2015. Stuff. 30 January 2019.
7. Web site: The Kathleen Grattan Prize for a Sequence of Poems 2015. Beattie. Graham. 27 November 2015. Beattie's Book Blog. 30 January 2019.
8. Web site: The Kathleen Grattan Prize for a Sequence of Poems 2016. 30 November 2016. Scoop culture. 30 January 2019.
9. Web site: The Kathleen Grattan Prize for a Sequence of Poems 2017 – Winner Announced. Green. Paula. 1 December 2017. NZ Poetry Shelf. 30 January 2019.
10. Web site: Massey PhD student wins 2017 The Kathleen Grattan Prize for a Sequence of Poems. 16 January 2018. Massey University: School of English and Media Studies. 30 January 2019.
11. Web site: Major prize for 'Tender' poems to a father. 2 February 2018. Massey University: Te Kunenga ki Purehuroa. 30 January 2019.
12. Web site: Press Release: Announcing the Winner of the Kathleen Grattan Prize for a Sequence of Poems 2017. 3 December 2017. New Zealand Poetry Society. 30 January 2019.
13. Web site: The Kathleen Grattan Prize for a Sequence of Poems 2018 – Winner Announced. Green. Paula. 30 November 2018. NZ Poetry Shelf. 30 January 2019.
14. Web site: The Kathleen Grattan Prize for a Sequence of Poems 2018 Winner Announced. 5 December 2018. NZSA The New Zealand Society of Authors (Pen NZ Inc) Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa. 30 January 2019.
15. Web site: Siobhan Harvey scoops poetry award. 21 November 2019. AUT. 8 December 2019.
16. Web site: The 2019 winner of the Kathleen Grattan Prize for a Sequence of Poems is… Siobhan Harvey. 27 November 2019. NZSA New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc) Te Puni Kaituhi o Aotearoa. 8 December 2019.
17. Web site: Green . Paula . 2020-11-23 . Poetry Shelf noticeboard: Liz Breslin wins Kathleen Grattan Poetry Prize for a Sequence of Poems . 2023-12-16 . NZ Poetry Shelf . en.
18. Web site: 2021-11-22 . Winner of Kathleen Grattan Prize Sequence announced – IWW . 2023-12-16 . New Zealand Society of Authors (PEN NZ Inc) Te Puni Kaituhi O Aotearoa . en-US.
19. Web site: 2022-11-21 . Moores wins $1000 poetry prize . 2023-12-16 . Times . en-NZ.
20. Web site: 2023-11-26 . Wellington poet is runner-up for Kathleen Grattan Prize . 2023-12-16 . Wellington.Scoop . en.