The Griffin Poetry Prize Anthology 2010

by A. F. Mortiz (Editor)

The best books of poetry published in English internationally are honored annually with the Griffin Poetry Prize, one of the world’s most prestigious literary awards. This annual anthology gathers together numerous extraordinary poets and introduces us to some of the finest poems within their short-listed collections. The poems in the 2010 anthology are selected and introduced by the Canadian member of the jury for the year’s awards. Royalties from the sales of the anthologies are donated to UNESCO’s World Poetry Day, created to support linguistic diversity through poetic expression and to offer endangered languages the opportunity to be heard in their communities.

Genres: Poetry

112 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Eggie Thebuddy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Such a thin book, but it took me the whole of January to finish! (There were other life elements involved, of course, but I want to highlight that this was a true intellectual workout). My first and second favorites were The Certainty Dream by Kate Hall and Grain by John Glenday. To be honest, the others were a hard slog to get through, let alone feel and understand.

[Olivia Eyre · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful collection. Noteworthy favorites were “A Village Life by Louise Glück, Valérie Rouzeau’s collection Cold Spring in Winter, as well as P. K. Page’s collection of glosas

[Alyosha · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid sampling of poetry that a friend lent to me.
The first three poets didn't really do anything for me. There were moments, but that's all.
Wicks' translation of Rouzeau was intriguing. I wish that it was all more akin to the first poem or selection (it feels more like a whole than a series of poems; fragments perhaps), which does well to capture thought's bare encounter with the night at the closing of distance to death. Wonderfully done.
Hall's poetry distills symbols into clear expression.
Page's glosas are delightful to read; a wealthy form that she utilizes greatly.
"An Acolyte Reads The Cloud of Unknowing" and "X" are my favorites by Solie. The ideas are expressed through a language of images that read so smoothly and fluently, like water over the tain of a mirror.
An excellent collection of poetry.

[Therese L. Broderick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Each of these seven English-writing poets (one is a translator from the French) is represented by at least eight pages of poems selected from his/her award-winning book. This anthology exceeds its primary goal as a sampler; it is a satisfying whole all its own, edited by A.F. Moritz. Most of these dignified, admirable poems offer clarity of sense in addition to beauty of sound. They ratify the English language instead of ravaging it. The prize winners hail from Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, and the USA.

[Paula Dembeck · Rating 1 out of 5]

The first section includes pieces of the 4 international finalists and the section includes pieces from the 3 Canadian finalists. A hard slog. Guess I just don’t have the intellectual chops for this.
I kept slogging, but I found it difficult.