Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry explained

The Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry is awarded annually as part of the New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards for a book of collected poems or for a single poem of substantial length published in book form.^[1] It is named after Kenneth Slessor (1901–1971).

The prize currently comes with a A$30,000 cash award.

Winners and shortlists

• Winner: Tais Rose Wae – Riverbed Sky Songs^[2]
• Pooja Mittal Biswas – Hunger and Predation^[3]
• Willo Drummond – Moon Wrasse
• Libby Hart – Burn
• Caitlin Maling – Spore or Seed
• Omar Sakr – Non-Essential Work

• Winner: Kim Cheng Boey – The Singer and Other Poems^[4]
• Adam Aitken – Revenants
• Pam Brown – Stasis Shuffle
• Lisa Gorton – Miribilia
• Sarah Holland-Batt – The Jaguar
• Marjon Mossammaparast – And to Ecstacy

• Winner: Dan Disney – accelerations & inertias^[5]
• Eunice Andrada – TAKE CARE^[6]
• Evelyn Araluen – Dropbear
• Eileen Chong – A Thousand Crimson Blooms
• John Kinsella – Supervivid Depastoralism
• Bella Li – Theory of Colours

• Winner: Ellen van Neerven – Throat^{[7] [8]}
• Jordie Albiston – Element: The Atomic Weight & Radius of Love ^[9]
• Rebecca Jessen – Ask Me About the Future
• Jill Jones – A History of What I’ll Become
• Jaya Savige – Change Machine 

• Winner: Peter Boyle – Enfolded in the Wings of a Great Darkness^{[10] [11]}
• Joanne Burns – apparently
• Zenobia Frost – After the Demolition
• Lisa Gorton – Empirical
• Natalie Harkin – Archival-Poetics
• David Malouf – An Open Book

• Winner: Judith Bishop – Interval^{[12] [13]}
• Michael Farrell – I Love Poetry
• Penelope Layland – Things I’ve Thought To Tell You Since I Saw You Last
• Philip Neilsen – Wildlife of Berlin
• Mark Reid – Blindside
• Chris Wallace-Crabbe – Rondo

• Winner: Bella Li – Argosy^[14]
• Adam Aitken – Archipelago
• Jordie Albiston – Euclid's dog: 100 algorithmic poems
• Rico Craig – Bone Ink
• Nguyễn Tiên Hoàng – Captive and Temporal
• Omar Sakr – These Wild Houses

• Winner: Peter Boyle – Ghostspeaking^[15]
• Paul Hetherington – Burnt Umber
• Jill Jones – Breaking the Days
• Antigone Kefala – Fragments
• John Kinsella – Firebreaks: Poems
• Ellen van Neerven – Comfort Foot

• Winner: Joanne Burns – brush^[16]
• Lionel Fogarty – Eelahroo (Long Ago), Nyah (Looking), Möbö-Möbö (Future)
• Sarah Holland-Batt – The Hazards
• Meredith Wattison – terra bravura
• Chloe Wilson – Not Fox Nor Axe
• Ouyang Yu – Fainting

• Winner: David Malouf – Earth Hour^[17]
• Michael Aiken – A Vicious Example
• Judith Beveridge – Devadatta's Poems
• Anne Elvey – Kin
• Libby Hart – Wild
• John Mateer – Unbelievers, or The Moor

2014

• Winner: Fiona Hile – Novelties, Hunter^[18]
• Justin Clemens – The Mundiad, Hunter
• Diane Fahey – The Stone Garden: poems from Clare, Clouds of Magellan
• Liam Ferney – Boom, Grand Parade Poets
• Kate Middleton – Ephemeral Waters, Giramondo Publishing
• Jessica Wilkinson – Marionette: A biography of Miss Marion Davies, Vagabond Press

2013

• Winner: Ali Cobby-Eckermann – Ruby Moonlight, Magabala Books^[19]
• Kate Fagan – First Light, Giramondo Publishing
• Michael Farrell – Open Sesame, Giramondo Publishing
• Anthony Lawrence – The Welfare of my Enemy, Puncher & Wattman
• Kate Lilley – Ladylike, UWA Publishing
• Vivian Smith – Here, There and Elsewhere, Giramondo Publishing

2012

• Winner: Gig Ryan – New and Selected Poems, Giramondo Publishing^[20]
• Ken Bolton – Sly Mongoose, Puncher and Wattman
• Susan Hawthorne – Cow, Spinifex Press
• John Mateer – Southern Barbarians, Giramondo Publishing
• Claire Potter – Swallow, Five Islands Press
• Tracy Ryan – The Argument, Fremantle Press

2011

• Winner: Jennifer Maiden – Pirate Rain, Giramondo Publishing
• Susan Bradley Smith – Supermodernprayerbook, Salt Publishing
• Andy Jackson – Among The Regulars, Papertiger Media Inc
• Jill Jones – Dark Bright Doors, Wakefield Press Pty
• Anna Kerdijk Nicholson – Possession, Five Island Press
• Andy Kissane – Out to Lunch, Puncher and Wattmann

2010

• Winner: Jordie Albiston – The Sonnet According to "M"
• Emily Ballou – The Darwin Poems
• Judith Beveridge – Storm and Honey
• Emma Jones – The Striped World
• Morgan Yasbincek – White Camel

2009

• Winner: LK Holt – Man Wolf Man, John Leonard Press.
• Michael Brennan – Unanimous Night, Salt Publishing
• David Brooks – The Balcony, University of Queensland Press
• Sarah Holland-Batt – Aria, University of Queensland Press
• Kerry Leves – A Shrine To Lata Mangeshkar, Puncher & Wattman
• Alan Wearne – The Australian Popular Songbook, Giramondo

2008

• Winner: Kathryn Lomer – Two Kinds of Silence
• Joanne Burns – an illustrated history of dairies
• Brook Emery – Uncommon Light
• Peter Kirkpatrick – Westering
• David Malouf – Typewriter Music
• Phyllis Perlstone – The Edge of Everything

2007

• Winner: John Tranter – Urban Myths, University of Queensland Press
• Robert Adamson – The Goldfinches of Baghdad, Flood Editions
• Laurie Duggan – The Passenger, University of Queensland Press
• Les Murray – The Biplane Houses, Black Inc.
• Simon West – First Names, Puncher and Wattmann
• Fay Zwicky – Picnic, Giramondo Publishing Company

2006

• Winner: Jaya Savige – Latecomers, University of Queensland Press.
• Aidan Coleman – Avenues & Runways, Brandl & Schlesinger
• Susan Hampton – The Kindly Ones, Five Islands Press
• Jill Jones – Broken/Open, Salt Publishing
• Penelope Layland – Suburban Anatomy, Pandanus Books
• David McCooey – Blister Pack, Salt Publishing

2005

• Winner: Samuel Wagan Watson – Smoke Encrypted Whispers, University of Queensland Press
• M. T. C. Cronin – < More or Less Than> 1–100, Shearsman Books Ltd
• Lidija Cvetkovic – War is Not the Season for Figs, University of Queensland Press
• John Kinsella – Doppler Effect, Salt Publishing
• Dipti Saravanamuttu – The Colosseum, Five Islands Press
• Alan Wearne – The Lovemakers Book Two: Money and Nothing, ABC Books

2004

• Winner: Pam Brown – Dear Deliria: New & Selected Poems, Salt Publishing
• Jordie Albiston – The Fall, White Crane Press
• M. T. C. Cronin – beautiful, unfinished Salt Publishing
• Brook Emery – Misplaced Heart, Five Islands Press
• Philip Hammial – In the Year of Our Lord Slaughter's Children, Island Press
• John Tranter – Studio Moon, Salt Publishing

2003

• Winner: Jill Jones – Screens Jets Heaven
• Alison Croggon – Attempts at Being
• Kate Lilley – Versary
• Emma Lew – Anything the Landlord Touches
• Sarah Day – New and Selected Poems
• Robert Gray – Afterimages

2002

• Winner: Alan Wearne – The Lovemakers, Penguin Books Australia
• Robert Adamson – Mulberry Leaves: New & Selected Poems: 1970–2001, Paper Bark Press
• Martin Harrison – Summer, Paper Bark Press
• Dorothy Hewett – Halfway Up the Mountain, Fremantle Arts Centre Press
• Bronwyn Lea – Flight Animals, University of Queensland Press
• Gig Ryan – Heroic Money, Brandl & Schlesinger
• John Tranter – Ultra, Brandl & Schlesinger

2001

• Winner: Ken Taylor – Africa, Five Islands Press
• Jennifer Compton – Blue, Ginninderra Press
• Brook Emery – and dug my fingers in the sand, Five Islands Press
• Philip Hammial – Bread, Black Pepper
• J. S. Harry – Sun Shadow, Moon Shadow, Vagabond Press
• Wendy Jenkins – Rogue Equations, Fremantle Arts Centre Press

2000

• Winner: Jennifer Maiden – Mines, Paper Bark Press/Australian Humanities Research Foundation
• Richard James Allen – Thursday's Fictions, Five Islands Press
• M. T. C. Cronin – Everything Holy, Balcones International Press
• Jennifer Harrison – Dear B, Black Pepper
• Kevin Hart – Wicked Heat, Paper Bark Press
• John Millett – Iceman, Five Islands Press

1999 and before

Award winners:^[21]

• 1999: Lee Cataldi – Race Against Time, Penguin Books Australia
• 1998: no awards were presented
• 1997: Anthony Lawrence – The Viewfinder, University of Queensland Press
• 1996: Eric Beach – Weeping for Lost Babylon, HarperCollins and J. S. Harry – Selected Poems, Penguin Books Australia
• 1995: Peter Boyle – Coming Home From the World, Five Islands Press
• 1994: Barry Hill – Ghosting William Buckley, William Heinemann Australia
• 1993: Les Murray – Translations from the Natural World, Isabella Press
• 1992: Elizabeth Riddell – Selected Poems, Collins Angus & Robertson
• 1991: Jennifer Maiden – The Winter Baby, Collins Angus & Robertson
• 1990: Robert Adamson – The Clean Dark, Paper Bark Press
• 1989: John Tranter – Under Berlin, University of Queensland Press
• 1988: Judith Beveridge – The Domesticity of Giraffes, Black Lightning Press
• 1987: Philip Hodgins – Blood and Bone, Angus & Robertson
• 1986: Robert Gray – Selected Poems 1963–83, Angus & Robertson
• 1985: Kevin Hart – Your Shadow, Angus & Robertson
• 1984: Les Murray – The People's Otherworld, Angus & Robertson^[22]
• 1983: Vivian Smith – Tide Country, Angus & Robertson^[23]
• 1982: Fay Zwicky – Kaddish and Other Poems, University of Queensland Press^[24]
• 1981: Alan Gould – Astral Sea, Angus & Robertson^[25]
• 1980: David Campbell – Man in the Honeysuckle, Angus & Robertson^[26]

See also

• Australian literature
• List of poetry awards
• List of years in poetry
• List of years in literature

Notes and References

1. http://www.arts.nsw.gov.au/awards/LiteraryAwards/LiteraryAwards.htm New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards Web page
2. News: Story . Hannah . 2024-05-20 . Aboriginal poet wins $40,000 at major literary awards with 'profound' verse novel . 2024-05-20 . ABC News . en-AU.
3. Web site: 2024-05-06 . NSW Premier’s Literary Awards 2024 shortlists announced . 2024-05-10 . Books+Publishing.
4. Web site: 2022-05-17 . 2023 - Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry . 2023-05-30 . State Library of NSW. . en-AU.
5. Web site: 2022-05-17 . NSW Premier's Literary Awards 2022 winners announced . 2023-03-01 . Books+Publishing . en-AU.
6. Web site: 2022-04-05 . NSW Premier's Literary Awards 2022 shortlists announced . 2022-04-05 . Books+Publishing . en-AU.
7. Web site: 2021-04-27. NSW Premier's Literary Awards 2021 winners announced. 2021-04-28. Books+Publishing. en-AU.
8. Web site: 2021-04-26. 'Eight jobs at once and no sick days': $60,000 prizes a welcome relief for young writer. 2021-04-28. www.abc.net.au. en-AU.
9. Web site: 2021-03-24. NSW Premier's Literary Awards 2021 shortlists announced. 2021-03-25. Books+Publishing. en-AU.
10. Web site: Evans. Kate Evans. 2020-04-26. Novel celebrating Wiradjuri language wins Book of the Year at major literary awards. 2021-04-30. ABC News. en-AU.
11. Web site: NSW Premier's Literary Awards 2020 shortlists announced. 20 March 2020. Books+Publishing. en-AU. 2020-03-21.
12. Web site: NSW Premier's Literary Awards 2019 shortlists announced. 28 February 2019. Books+Publishing. en-AU. 2020-03-21.
13. Web site: NSW Premier's Literary Awards 2019 winners announced; Griffiths wins book of the year. 30 April 2019. Books+Publishing. en-AU. 2020-03-21.
14. Web site: 2018 - Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry. 2019-02-19. State Library of NSW. 2020-03-21.
15. Web site: 2017 - Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry. 2018-03-01. State Library of NSW. 2020-03-21.
16. Web site: 2016 - Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry. 2016-03-16. State Library of NSW. 2020-03-21.
17. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20160616000203/http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/content/2015-kenneth-slessor-prize-poetry-0. 16 June 2016 . 2015 - Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry. State Library of NSW. 13 January 2024.
18. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20160616000404/http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/content/2014-kenneth-slessor-prize-poetry-0. 16 June 2016 . 2014 - Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry. State Library of NSW. 13 January 2024.
19. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20160616000557/http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/content/2013-kenneth-slessor-prize-poetry-0. 16 June 2016 . 2013 - Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry. State Library of NSW. 13 January 2024.
20. Web site: https://web.archive.org/web/20160616000901/http://www.sl.nsw.gov.au/content/2012-kenneth-slessor-prize-poetry-0 . 16 June 2016 . 2012 - Kenneth Slessor Prize for Poetry. State Library of NSW. 13 January 2024.
21. http://www.arts.nsw.gov.au/awards/LiteraryAwards/2000LitAwards/PLAhistory.htm New South Wales Ministry of Culture Web site
22. Web site: Austlit — The People's Otherworld by Les Murray . Austlit. 4 September 2023.
23. Web site: Austlit — Tide Country by Vivian Smith. Austlit. 3 September 2023.
24. Web site: Austlit — Kaddish and Other Poems by Fay Zwicky . Austlit. 3 September 2023.
25. Web site: Austlit — Astral Sea by Alan Gould . Austlit. 3 September 2023.
26. Web site: Austlit — The Man in the Honeysuckle by David Campbell . Austlit. 3 September 2023.