Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Poet Carl Phillips wins $75,000 Jackson Prize

Poet Carl Phillips has received a $75,000 honor for a body of work which judges said displays exceptional talent

Via AP news wire
Monday 17 May 2021 13:52 BST
Books--Jackson Prize
Books--Jackson Prize

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Poet Carl Phillips has received a $75,000 honor for a body of work which displays “exceptional talent.”

On Monday, Poets & Writers announced that the 61-year-old Phillips has won the Jackson Prize, which in previous years has gone to Elizabeth Alexander, Claudia Rankine and current U.S. poet laureate Joy Harjo, among others. Phillips' 15 books of poetry include “Wild Is the Wind,” “Pale Colors In a Tall Field” and “In the Blood.”

Phillips, 61, is a native of Everett Washington and currently a professor of English at Washington University in St. Louis. His previous awards include the Los Angeles Times Book Prize and the Kenyon Review Award.

“Phillips is a love poet; he wants to know what one human has to do with another, what one owes another, and how all of this translates into desire and the capacity to inspire moral or immoral reactions," prize judges Jericho Brown, Carolyn Forche and Juan Felipe Herrera wrote in their citation.

Poets & Writers, founded in 1970, is a nonprofit organization with a mission to “foster the professional development of poets and writers, to promote communication throughout the literary community, and to help create an environment in which literature can be appreciated by the widest possible public.”

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in