Pegasus Poetry Book Prize

The Pegasus Poetry Book Prize, established in 2025 in partnership with Graywolf Press, awards $10,000 and publication to an unpublished first or second poetry collection by a United States poet 40 or older. This prize replaces the Poetry Foundation’s former Emily Dickinson First Book Award and will be offered periodically rather than annually.

Eligibility Guidelines: 

• Poets must have published no more than one full-length poetry collection. This is a prize for either a first or second book. Chapbooks and self-published books do not count toward this requirement.
• Poets must be 40 years of age or older by December 31, 2026.
• Poets must be residing in or citizens of the United States.
• Poets must have published no more than one full-length poetry collection. This is a prize for either a first or second book. 
• Current employees, trustees, and immediate family members of the Poetry Foundation and Graywolf Press are not eligible to submit a manuscript for this prize.

Important Dates:

• November 12, 2025 - Submissions open
• November 25–28, 2025 - Registration requests will not be reviewed or approved
• December 19, 2025–January 5, 2026 - Registration requests will not be reviewed or approved
• January 26, 2026 - Cutoff to register for the online portal
  • This step must be completed first to access the online portal
• February 2, 2026, 5 PM (CT) - Submissions due
• Early August 2026 - All poets notified

How to Apply:

Poets will need to register and submit manuscripts through the Poetry Foundation’s Grants and Awards Online Portal. To access the portal, poets must submit an initial registration form. Registrations will be approved within 3 to 5 business days. There is no entry fee to apply. 

Manuscript Submission Guidelines: 

• Poets should submit one original, book-length poetry manuscript that has not been previously published in its entirety.
• The manuscript must be solely authored by the poet. 
• Manuscript length should be between 48 and 80 pages. 
• Multilingual works containing a full English translation by the author will be considered, as long as the manuscript has not been published in any language.
• All submissions are reviewed anonymously and must remain confidential until the conclusion of the review process. Poets are required to adhere to the following guidelines:
  • The manuscript’s cover page should contain only the title.
  • Do not include any personal information, including name, address, telephone number, email, acknowledgments, autobiographical statements, prior publications, curriculum vitae, and resumes. 
  • Contact information will be stored in the grants and awards portal and will not be disclosed to reviewers.
• Manuscripts may not be altered in any way after submission. 

If you need assistance in submitting your manuscript, please email grants@poetryfoundation.org. 

History of the Prize: 

The Emily Dickinson First Book Award was launched in 2005 to recognize a United States poet of at least 40 years of age who had yet to publish a first collection of poetry. The last recipient was Kristen Tracy in 2017 for her collection Half-Hazard. The Pegasus Poetry Book Prize reimagines this legacy award, emphasizing the importance of recognizing poets at a stage in their life and career that is rarely celebrated publicly. The Poetry Foundation and Graywolf Press anticipate that the Prize will provide poets with additional opportunities to write and publish their poetry while showcasing their work to a broader audience.