Pulitzer Prize for Poetry

The Pulitzer Prize for Poetry is one of the oldest and most prestigious awards in American letters, given annually since 1922 for a distinguished volume of original verse by an American author. Administered by Columbia University as part of the broader Pulitzer Prize program, the award carries a cash prize of $15,000 and a certificate. The prize has recognized generations of major American poets, from Robert Frost and Edwin Arlington Robinson in the early decades to Sharon Olds, Frank Bidart, and Natalie Diaz in recent years. In 2008, two prizes were awarded — to Robert Hass and Philip Schultz — the only time in the prize's history that two poets shared the honor. The award is announced each spring after deliberation by a jury of distinguished poetry critics and the Pulitzer Board at Columbia. Eligible collections must be by American authors and published in the previous calendar year. The prize has been especially attentive to poets working at the intersection of history, identity, and formal innovation, reflecting its long tradition of recognizing verse that both challenges and enriches the American literary tradition. Finalists, typically two alongside the winner, are announced at the same time and help map the breadth of strong American poetry in any given year.