John Burnside
06.10.11 | Katie Allen
John Burnside has won the Forward Prize for Best Collection after being shortlisted a previous three times for the poetry prize.
The 56-year-old received the £10,000 award for his collection Black Cat Bone (Jonathan Cape), praised by chair of judges Andrew Motion as “[a book] to linger over, as well as one to enjoy at first reading”. He said: “It is a distinguished winner of the Forward Prize.”
The awards, now in their 20th year, took place yesterday evening (5th October) at Somerset House in London on the eve of National Poetry Day. The Felix Dennis Prize for Best First Collection, worth £5,000, went to Rachael Boast for Sidereal (Picador). The collection was also longlisted for the Guardian First Book Award and shortlisted for the Aldeburgh First Collection Prize.
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