The Forward Prizes 2025 shortlist were announced this week and we're delighted to be the official Forward Prizes online partner booksellers once again with a special bundle offer on all 10 shortlisted books. Huge congratulations to all the shortlisted poets!
Forward Prize for Best Collection
I Sugar the Bones by Juana Adcock (Out-Spoken Press)
Southernmost: Sonnets by Leo Boix (Chatto & Windus)
The Island in the Sound by Niall Campbell (Bloodaxe Books)
Avidya by Vidyan Ravinthiran (Bloodaxe Books)
Wellwater by Karen Solie (Picador)
The Jerwood Prize for Best First Collection
Theophanies by Sarah Ghazal Ali (the 87 press)
Chaotic Good by Isabelle Baafi (Faber & Faber)
Heirloom by Catherine Esther-Cowie (Carcanet Press)
Altar by Desree (Bad Betty)
Goonie by Michael Mullen (Corsair)
The Forward Prize for Best Single Poem – Written
‘At Least’ by Abeer Ameer
‘Birds of the Arctic’ by Simon Armitage
‘A Parliament of Jets’ by Tom Branfoot
‘Girl Ghosts’ by Tim Tim Cheng
‘Codex©’ by Nick Makoha
The Forward Prize for Best Single Poem – Performed
‘Dynamic Disks’ by Raymond Antrobus
‘Sikiliza’ by Bella Cox
‘Where I’m From’ by Griot Gabriel
‘Mum Does the Washing’ by Joshua Idehen
‘The portrait and the skylight’ by Zoë McWhinney
The Forward Bundle contains the 10 shortlisted books and is available to order at £110 for non-members (RRP £124) and only £82.50 for members. The price includes FREE UK postage, if you're based outside the UK please email us for an overseas postage quote. Please remember to enter your member discount code to claim the member price. This code can be found in the online members area or email megan@poetrybooksociety.co.uk for an overseas postage quote.