Forward Poetry Prize

The Forward Poetry Prizes were created in 1991. The aim of the prizes is to extend the audience for contemporary poetry. Currently they are the United Kingdom's most valuable annual poetry competition, with awards for Best Collection (£10,000), Best First Collection (£5000) and Best Single Poem (£1000). Highly commended poems are published in the annual anthology, The Forward Book of Poetry.

Best Collection

 * 2010: Seamus Heaney, Human Chain (Faber)
 * 2009: Don Paterson, Rain (Faber)
 * 2008: Mick Imlah, The Lost Leader (Faber)
 * 2007: Sean O'Brien, The Drowned Book (Picador)
 * 2006: Robin Robertson, Swithering (Picador)
 * 2005: David Harsent, Legion (Faber & Faber)
 * 2004: Kathleen Jamie, The Tree House (Picador)
 * 2003: Ciarán Carson, Breaking News (The Gallery Press)
 * 2002: Peter Porter, Max is Missing (Picador)
 * 2001: Sean O'Brien, Downriver (Picador)
 * 2000: Michael Donaghy, Conjure (Picador)
 * 1999: Jo Shapcott, My Life Asleep (Oxford University Press)
 * 1998: Ted Hughes, Birthday Letters (Faber and Faber)
 * 1997: Jamie McKendrick, The Marble Fly (Oxford University Press)
 * 1996: John Fuller, Stones and Fires (Chatto & Windus)
 * 1995: Sean O'Brien, Ghost Train (Oxford University Press)
 * 1994: Alan Jenkins, Harm (Chatto & Windus)
 * 1993: Carol Ann Duffy, Mean Time (Anvil Press)
 * 1992: Thom Gunn, The Man with Night Sweats (Faber and Faber)

Best First Collection

 * 2010: Hilary Menos, Berg (Seren)
 * 2009: Emma Jones, The Striped World (Faber)
 * 2008: Kathryn Simmonds, Sunday at the Skin Launderette (Seren)
 * 2007: Daljit Nagra, Look We Have Coming to Dover! (Faber and Faber)
 * 2006: Tishani Doshi, Countries of the Body (Aark Arts)
 * 2005: Helen Farish, Intimates (Jonathan Cape)
 * 2004: Leontia Flynn, These Days (Jonathan Cape)
 * 2003: A. B. Jackson, Fire Stations (Anvil Press)
 * 2002: Tom French, Touching the Bones (The Gallery Press)
 * 2001: John Stammers, The Panoramic Lounge Bar (Picador)
 * 2000: Andrew Waterhouse, In (The Rialto)
 * 1999: Nick Drake, The Man in the White Suit (Bloodaxe)
 * 1998: Paul Farley, The Boy from the Chemist is Here to See You (Picador)
 * 1997: Robin Robertson, A Painted Field (Picador)
 * 1996: Kate Clanchy, Slattern (Chatto & Windus)
 * 1995: Jane Duran, Breathe Now, Breathe (Enitharmon Press)
 * 1994: Kwame Dawes, Progeny of Air (Peepal Tree)
 * 1993: Don Paterson, Nil Nil (Faber and Faber)
 * 1992: Simon Armitage, Kid (Faber and Faber)

Best Single Poem

 * 2010: Julia Copus, 'An Easy Passage'
 * 2009: Robin Robertson, 'At Roane Head'
 * 2008: Don Paterson, 'Love Poem for Natalie 'Tusja' Beridze' (Poetry Review)
 * 2007: Alice Oswald, 'Dunt' (Poetry London)
 * 2006: Sean O'Brien, 'Fantasia on a Theme of James Wright' (Poetry Review)
 * 2005: Paul Farley, 'Liverpool Disappears for a Billionth of a Second' (The North)
 * 2004: Daljit Nagra, 'Look We Have Coming to Dover!' (Poetry Review)
 * 2003: Robert Minhinnick, 'The Fox in the National Museum of Wales' (Poetry London)
 * 2002: Medbh McGuckian, 'She is in the Past, She has this Grace' (The Shop)
 * 2001: Ian Duhig, 'The Lammas Hireling'
 * 2000: Tessa Biddington, 'The Death of Descartes'
 * 1999: Robert Minhinnick, 'Twenty-five Laments for Iraq'
 * 1998: Sheenagh Pugh, 'Envying Owen Beattie'
 * 1997: Lavinia Greenlaw, 'A World Where News Travelled Slowly'
 * 1996: Kathleen Jamie, 'The Graduates'
 * 1995: Jenny Joseph, 'In Honour of Love'
 * 1994: Iain Crichton Smith, 'Autumn'
 * 1993: Vicki Feaver, 'Judith'
 * 1992: Jackie Kay, 'Black Bottom'