Recognizing poets 40 and older with a $10,000 prize and publication for their first or second book
CHICAGO, Nov. 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The Poetry Foundation is pleased to announce the Pegasus Poetry Book Prize, recognizing a United States poet aged 40 or older for their first or second poetry collection. In addition to publication and promotion of the manuscript by Graywolf Press, the awardee will receive a prize of $10,000 from the Poetry Foundation along with funding for a residency opportunity.
“Poetry doesn’t happen on a timetable; it is an art of devotion and endurance. How fitting, then, to have a major publication prize that rewards patience—in the work and in the life of the poet,” said Jeff Shotts, executive editor and director of poetry at Graywolf Press. “Think of the poets who wrote steadfastly for many years before their first or second books were published near their forties or beyond: Eduardo C. Corral, Toi Derricotte, Linda Gregg, Brigit Pegeen Kelly, Robin Coste Lewis, Vijay Seshadri, Diane Seuss, Lena Khalaf Tuffaha, and many more. Graywolf is excited to collaborate with the Poetry Foundation on this reimagined prize as an important way to support and publish poets whose first and second books are right on time.”
Submissions to the prize are open until February 2, 2026. The awardee will be recognized at the Poetry Foundation’s annual Pegasus Awards Ceremony in October 2026.
Reimagining a Legacy Award
The Emily Dickinson First Book Award was launched in 2005 to recognize a United States poet of at least 40 years of age who had yet to publish a first collection of poetry. The last recipient was Kristen Tracy in 2017 for her collection Half-Hazard. The Pegasus Poetry Book Prize reimagines this legacy award, emphasizing the importance of recognizing poets at a stage in their life and career that is rarely celebrated publicly. The Poetry Foundation and Graywolf Press anticipate that the Prize will provide poets with additional opportunities to write and publish their poetry while showcasing their work to a broader audience.
“Poetry is a lifelong commitment. It takes years of practice to learn to craft a single poem, and even longer to build a body of work substantial enough for a book,” said Poetry magazine editor-in-chief, Adrian Matejka. “In the meantime, life interrupts—with bills, jobs, and leaky sinks that need fixing—every unpoetic thing imaginable. That’s why it’s so vital to create opportunities for poets at every stage of their creative trajectories to publish a book.”
Eligibility and How to Apply
- The Pegasus Poetry Book Prize is open to poets in the United States, either citizens or residing in the United States, and 40 years of age or older by December 31, 2026.
- Poets must have published no more than one full-length poetry collection.
- Poets should submit one previously unpublished, original, book-length poetry manuscript of 48 to 80 pages written in English.
- The manuscript must be solely authored by the applicant. Multilingual works containing a full English translation by the author will be considered, as long as the manuscript has not been published in any language.
- Current employees, trustees, and immediate family members of the Poetry Foundation and Graywolf Press are not eligible to submit a manuscript for this prize.
- Online submissions will open November 12, 2025, and close February 2, 2026.
- The awardee will be notified by early August 2026.
- This prize will be made available on a periodic basis rather than annually.
Additional details and full submission guidelines are available at Pegasus Poetry Book Prize.
About the Poetry Foundation
The Poetry Foundation recognizes the power of words to transform lives. The Foundation works to amplify poetry and celebrate poets by fostering spaces for all to create, experience, and share poetry. Follow the Poetry Foundation and Poetry magazine on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
About Graywolf Press
Graywolf Press is a nonprofit literary publisher of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and works in translation. Graywolf Press publishes risk-taking, visionary writers who transform culture through literature. Learn more at www.graywolfpress.org.
SOURCE Poetry Foundation
