APR/Honickman First Book Prize

APR/Honickman First Book Prize
Awarded forDebut poetry collection
CountryUnited States
Presented byAmerican Poetry Review and the Honickman Foundation
Rewards$3,000 and publication
First award1998 (1998)
Websitehttps://aprweb.org/aprhonickman-first-book-prize

The APR/Honickman First Book Prize (also known as the American Poetry Review/Honickman First Book Prize) is an annual award for a debut book-length collection of poetry. Established in 1998, the prize is a partnership between The American Poetry Review (APR) and the Honickman Foundation, a Philadelphia-based philanthropic organization.[1] The winning poet receives a $3,000 cash award, publication by the American Poetry Review, and distribution of the winning book by Copper Canyon Press through Consortium.[2] A different distinguished poet serves as judge each year and writes an introduction to the winning book.

The prize is among the most prominent first-book awards in American poetry. Among its past winners, Gregory Pardlo won the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry for his second collection, Digest.[3]

History

The American Poetry Review is widely regarded as one of the most influential poetry journals in the United States.[4][5] The prize was founded in 1998 through a partnership between APR and the Honickman Foundation.[6] Joshua Beckman's manuscript for his debut collection, Things Are Happening, won the prize in its inaugural year, selected by Gerald Stern.[7] The Foundation's involvement was rooted in a recognition that poetry is a powerful but under-served art form and that debut books of poetry face particular difficulty finding publishers.[1]

Early judges included Louise Glück, who selected Dana Levin's In the Surgical Theatre in 1999.[8] The 2008 winner, Matthew Dickman's All-American Poem, selected by Tony Hoagland, led to Dickman receiving the Kate Tufts Discovery Award and the 2009 Oregon Book Award in Poetry.[9][10]

Eligibility

The prize is open to poets who have not previously published a book-length collection of poems with a registered ISBN.[11] Manuscripts must be at least 48 pages and the work of a sole author.

The editors of the American Poetry Review screen manuscripts before passing them to the judge, who reviews submissions in an anonymous process and will not award the prize to any writer with whom they have a personal conflict of interest.[11]

Winners

The year listed is the year in which the prize was awarded. Books are typically published in September of the same year.

YearPoetTitleJudge
1998Joshua BeckmanThings Are HappeningGerald Stern
1999Dana LevinIn the Surgical TheatreLouise Glück
2000Anne Marie MacariIvory CradleRobert Creely[12]
2001Ed PavlićParaph of Bone & Other Kinds of BlueAdrienne Rich[13]
2002Kathleen OssipThe Search EngineDerek Walcott[14]
2003James McCorkleEvidencesJorie Graham[15]
2004Kevin DuceyRhinocerosYusef Komunyakaa[16]
2005Geoff BouvierLiving RoomHeather McHugh[17]
2006David RoderickBlue ColonialRobert Pinsky[18]
2007Gregory PardloTotemBrenda Hillman[19]
2008Matthew DickmanAll-American PoemTony Hoagland[20]
2009Laura McKeeUttermost Paradise PlaceClaudia Keelan[18]
2010Melissa SteinRough HoneyMark Doty[21]
2011Nathaniel PerryNine AcresMarie Howe[22]
2012Tomás Q. MorínA Larger CountryTom Sleigh[23]
2013Maria HummelHouse and FireFanny Howe[24]
2014Katherine Bode-LangThe ReformationStephen Dunn[25]
2015Alicia Jo RabinsDivinity SchoolCarolyn D. Wright[26]
2017Tyree DayeRiver HymnsGabrielle Calvocoressi[27]
2019Taneum BambrickVantageSharon Olds[28]
2020Chessy NormileGreat Exodus, Great Wall, Great PartyLi-Young Lee[29]
2021Natasha RaoLatitudeAda Limón[30]
2022Chelsea HarlanBright ShadeJericho Brown[31]
2023Jane HuffmanPublic AbstractDana Levin[32]
2024Jacob EigenThe Twenty-First CenturyRoger Reeves[33]
2025Itiola JonesBloodmercyNicole Sealey[34]
2026Ellie BlackRevelatorDorothea Lasky[35]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "The Honickman Foundation: The First Book Prize in Poetry". honickmanfoundation.org. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  2. ↑ "American Poetry Review – News". aprweb.org. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  3. ↑ "The 2015 Pulitzer Prize Winner in Poetry". www.pulitzer.org. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  4. ↑ Poets, Academy of American. "American Poetry Review". poets.org. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  5. ↑ Brewer, Robert Lee (2023-03-06). "The American Poetry Review: Market Spotlight". Writer's Digest. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  6. ↑ "The Honickman Foundation: Joshua Beckman, Things are Happening". honickmanfoundation.org. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  7. ↑ "Joshua Beckman". Copper Canyon Press. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  8. ↑ Smith, Carmen Giménez (2018-11-09). "Dana Levin and Carmen Giménez Smith Talk Race, Politics, and Poetics". Literary Hub. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  9. ↑ Margulies, Lee (2009-02-05). "Poets named as winners of Kingsley Tufts Poetry Awards". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  10. ↑ Baker, Jeff (2009-10-29). "Thursday event: Matthew and Michael Dickman at Reed College". oregonlive. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  11. 1 2 "American Poetry Review – News". aprweb.org. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  12. ↑ Macari, Anne Marie (May–June 2013). "Two Poems". World Literature Today. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  13. ↑ "The Honickman Foundation: Ed Pavlic, Paraph of Bone & Other Kinds of Blue". honickmanfoundation.org. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  14. ↑ "The Search Engine by Kathleen Ossip". The New School.
  15. ↑ "Evidences by James McCorkle". Copper Canyon Press. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  16. ↑ Keane, Erin (2017-12-25). "A Christmas poem for skeptics". Salon.com. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  17. ↑ "REVIEW: Virginia Konchan's Bel Canto by Geoff Bouvier". SOUTHERN HUMANITIES REVIEW. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  18. 1 2 "APR Presents Thirteenth Award for Debut Poetry". Poets & Writers. 2010-02-11. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  19. ↑ "Google Search". www.google.com. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  20. ↑ "The Missouri Review |Matthew Dickman". Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  21. ↑ "Boxcar Poetry Review". www.boxcarpoetry.com. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  22. ↑ Terrain.org (2012-12-14). "Nathaniel Perry's Nine Acres". Terrain.org. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  23. ↑ "Tomás Q. Morín - Poetry". ConnotationPress.com. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  24. ↑ "The Honickman Foundation: Maria Hummel, House and Fire". honickmanfoundation.org. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  25. ↑ "English alumnus, Katherine Bode-Lang, has won a major American first book prize for her first book of poetry". Department of English. 2014-10-16. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  26. ↑ Sweeney, Sarah (2015-11-12). "Where the orthodox and unorthodox meet". Harvard Gazette. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  27. ↑ Zerkle, Lisa (2018-05-29). "Tyree Daye's "River Hymns"". Charlotte Lit. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  28. ↑ Black, Ellie (2020-01-23). "Catalog of Violence: A Review of Taneum Bambrick's 'Vantage'". The Adroit Journal. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  29. ↑ "Chessy Normile". Brooklyn Poets. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  30. ↑ "Natasha Rao – The Creative Independent". thecreativeindependent.com. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  31. ↑ "When Foamhenge Was Still Where It Was". Shenandoah. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  32. ↑ "American Poetry Review – News". aprweb.org. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  33. ↑ "American Poetry Review – News". aprweb.org. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  34. ↑ Features, BellaNaija (2025-10-17). "Some Nigerian Poetry Collections and Projects Released This Year". BellaNaija. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
  35. ↑ "American Poetry Review – News". aprweb.org. Retrieved 2026-03-07.
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