Congratulations to Andrew Garvin, Winner of the Prufer Poetry Prize!

Congratulations to Andrew Garvin, Winner of the Prufer Poetry Prize!

Pleiades congratulates Andrew Garvin, winner of this year’s Prufer Poetry Prize, judged by Sarah Ghazal Ali. He will receive an award of $1,000 and his winning poem, “County Fairs,” will be published in the Spring 2025 issue of Pleiades.

Andrew Garvin (he/him) is a queer writer based in San Francisco. He was a Finalist for the 2023 Resistance & Resilience Prize from Palette Poetry. His work has been featured with the Guggenheim Museum in New York, The MacGuffin, Sonora Review, pioneertown, and more. He’s a Poetry Editor for Iron Oaks Editions, and received his MFA in poetry from Virginia Commonwealth University. Visit his website at poetandrewgarvin.com

Of the winning poem, Sarah Ghazal Ali writes:

“‘County Fairs’ is palindromic and prognostic, wielding time like a lens into the contours of pain. The poem looks through and back at childhood with visceral wonder, and the word “slaughter” reverberates throughout, echoing with violences enacted and yet to be. Family ties are seared and scrutinized with startling efficiency, and the speaker’s exploration of power through the space of the county fair and its captive animals is deeply moving.”

Rupa Shenoy-Thadhani was named as Runner-Up for the poem, “Of Things with Buttons,” which will also be published in the Spring 2025 issue of Pleiades.

Pleiades would also like to recognize the finalists for the 2023 Prufer Poetry Prize:

Kaylee Young-Eun Jeong, “Second Self”

Manthipe Moila, “One therapist says that black men are wont to disappear like that”

T. de los Reyes, “We Teach Each Other How to Pray”

Mikal Wix, “Nine Steps to Be Queer (and Accused of) a Storm”

Leila Farjami, “Door Knockers”

Pleiades thanks all those whosubmitted to this year’s award; we are grateful to have had the opportunity to read your work.