Congratulations from all of us at the Royal City Literary Arts Society!
We are pleased to announce the 2025 Longlist for our
12th Annual Fred Cogswell Award For Excellence In Poetry.
Thank you to our 2025 Cogswell Award Judge Cecily Nicholson!
We appreciate your hard work and dedication.
Thanks to everyone who submitted this year. We appreciate your support.
Our finalists in alphabetical order:
Midway by Kayla Czaga (House of Anansi Press)
she falls again by Rosanna Deerchild (Coach House Books)
The Flesh of Ice by Garry Gottfriedson (Caitlin Press)
Aqueous by Nathanael Jones (The Porcupine’s Quill)
I Feel That Way Too by jaz papadopoulos (Nightwood Editions)
Signal Infinities by Melanie Siebert (McClelland & Stewart | Penguin Random House)
Weather by Rob Taylor (Gaspereau Press)
Precedented Parroting by Barbara Tran (Anstruther Books | Palimpsest Press)
Scientific Marvel by Chimwemwe Undi (House of Anansi Press)
shima by shō yamagushiku (McClelland & Stewart | Penguin Random House)
12th ANNUAL FRED COGSWELL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN POETRY
“Fred Cogswell (1917-2004) was a prolific poet, editor, professor,
life member of the League of Canadian Poets, and an Officer of the Order of Canada.”
First Prize: $500
Second Prize: $250
Third Prize: $100
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA:
· Book must be bound as a book, not a chapbook.
· Book length must be a minimum of 60 pages in length.
· Poetry must be written in English by a single author.
· No co-writes, anthologies or selected poetry collections.
· Book must be original work by an individual author (translations will not be considered at this time)
· Original date of publication falls between January 1, 2024 and December 31, 2024.
· Book must be published in Canada.
· Book must be written by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident alive in submission year.
· Electronic books are not eligible.
Cecily Nicholson is the sole judge for our 2025 Fred Cogswell Award For Excellence In Poetry.
Reading Fee: $25 (Canadian Funds).
Payment can be made through PayPal here https://rclas.com/2025-fred-cogswell-award/
Click here to pay now via PayPal by either creating your own account or entering as a guest:
or by cheque payable to “Royal City Literary Arts Society”. If you pay with PayPal, please include a copy of your receipt with the submission package.
Two copies* of the book must be submitted to the Royal City Literary Arts Society, along with the reading fee (or proof thereof), and must be postmarked no later than October 1, 2025. The society’s mailing address is:
Royal City Literary Arts Society
Fred Cogswell Award
Box #308 – 720 6th Street
New Westminster, BC V3L 3C5
Winners Announcement: Date TBA
*Submitted books will not be returned; they become the property of the Royal City Literary Arts Society.
*In case of any dispute about the book’s eligibility, the Society’s decision will be final. If any conflict of interest is to be determined the book will be deemed ineligible.
rclas.com 