Nelson Ball Prize Longlist

The judges of the inaugural Nelson Ball Prize, Beverley Daurio and James McDonald, have released their longlist. The $1,000 prize, made possible through the generosity of many of Nelson Ball's friends, family, and fans, goes to a Canadian poetry publication — book, chapbook, ephemera, etc. — that features "poetry of observation," a key interest in Nelson's own work.

Nelson Ball was a much-loved Canadian poet, publisher, and bookseller. He died on August 16, 2019, at age 77. Nelson began publishing in the 1960s and produced an astonishing body of work, actively writing until his last months. He was married to the painter and writer Barbara Caruso, who died in 2009. Fans of Nelson's poetry can expect a few more books to emerge over the coming years, as well as a first full-length collection of poetry by Caruso.

Over 110 publications published in 2018 and 2019 were submitted for consideration for the 2020 Nelson Ball Prize. Here, in alphabetical order by author's name, is the longlist:

Cameron Anstee, The Book of Annotations (Invisible Publishing, 2018)

Mike Barnes, Braille Rainbow (Biblioasis, 2019)

Michael E. Casteels, snowfall (Puddles of Sky Press, 2018)

Chantal Gibson, How She Read (Caitlin Press, 2019)

Susan Gillis, Yellow Crane (Brick Books, 2018)

James Hawes, Bus Metro Walk (Monk Press, 2018)

Jason Heroux, The Book of Blessings (Puddles of Sky Press, 2019)

Amanda Jernigan, Years, Months, Days (Biblioasis, 2018)

Basma Kavanagh, Ruba'iyat for the Time of Apricots (Frontenac House, 2018)

Thomas King, 77 Fragments of a Familiar Ruin (HarperCollins, 2019)

Tara McGowan-Ross, Scorpion Season (Insomniac Press, 2019)

Mark Truscott, Branches (Book*hug Press, 2018)

Over and out.