The universe makes a sound—is a sound.
In the core of this sound there's a silence,
a silence that creates a sound, which is not its opposite,
but its inseparable soul. And this silence can also be heard.
—Etal Adnan

The Griffin Poetry Prize is among the world's most significant prizes in literature. Awarded each year to the most outstanding volumes of poetry published worldwide, the prize recognizes works written in, and translated into, English. This anthology, edited by Gregory Scofield, offers a selection of poems from the 2023 shortlist, together with the judges' citations.

Gregory Scofield is one of Canada's leading Aboriginal writers whose five collections of poetry have earned him both a national and international audience. He is known for his unique and dynamic reading style that blends oral storytelling, song, spoken word and the Cree language. His maternal ancestry can be traced back to the fur trade and to the Metis community of Kinosota, Manitoba, which was established in 1828 by the Hudson's Bay Company. His paternal ancestry is Jewish, Polish and German that is reflective of the immigrant experience to Canada at the turn of the century. His poetry and memoir, Thunder Through My Veins (HarperCollins, 1999) is taught at numerous universities and colleges throughout Canada and the U.S., and his work has appeared in many anthologies. He was the subject of a feature length documentary, Singing Home The Bones: A Poet Becomes Himself (The Maystreet Group, 2007) that aired on CHUM TV, BRAVO!, APTN, and the Saskatchewan Television Network. He has served as Writer-in-Residence at the University of Manitoba and Memorial University of Newfoundland. His latest collection, kipocihkan: Poems New & Selected (Nightwood) and the re-publication of I Knew Two Metis Women, along with the companion CD (Gabriel Dumont Institute) will be released in spring 2009. As well, his third collection of poetry, Love Medicine and One Song will be re-released by Kegedonce Press in 2009. He currently lives in Maple Ridge, B.C.

Gregory Scofield's profile page

Handsome volume.

Miramichi Reader