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The King's Gold Medal for Poetry (known as Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry when the monarch is female)[1] is awarded for a book of verse published by someone in any of the Commonwealth realms. Originally the award was open only to British subjects living in the United Kingdom, but in 1985 the scope was extended to include people from the rest of the Commonwealth realms. Recommendations to the King for the award of the Medal are made by a committee of eminent scholars and authors chaired by the Poet Laureate. In recent times, the award has been announced on the (traditional date of the) birthday of William Shakespeare, 23 April. However, Don Paterson was awarded the medal alongside the 2010 New Year Honours.[2]
| King's Gold Medal for Poetry | |
|---|---|
| Type | Gold Medal |
| Awarded for | Meritorious achievement in poetry |
| Presented by |  United Kingdom |
| Established | 1933 |
| Total recipients | 53 |
The Gold Medal for Poetry was instituted by King George V in 1933 at the suggestion of the British royal court's poet laureate, John Masefield.
The obverse of the medal bears the effigy of the King. The idea of the reverse, which was designed by Edmund Dulac, is: "Truth emerging from her well and holding in her right hand the divine flame of inspiration - Beauty is truth and Truth Beauty". The latter part of this description recalls "Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty", from John Keats's poem "Ode on a Grecian Urn".
Recipients
editSource:[1]
- 2023: Mimi Khalvati
- 2022: Selima Hill
- 2021: Grace Nichols[3]
- 2020: David Constantine[4]
- 2019: Lorna Goodison
- 2018: Simon Armitage
- 2017: Paul Muldoon
- 2016: Gillian Allnutt
- 2015: Liz Lochhead
- 2014: Imtiaz Dharker
- 2013: Douglas Dunn
- 2012: John Agard[5]
- 2011: Jo Shapcott[6]
- 2010: Gillian Clarke
- 2009: Don Paterson
- 2007: James Fenton
- 2006: Fleur Adcock
- 2004: Hugo Williams
- 2003: U. A. Fanthorpe
- 2002: Peter Porter
- 2001: Michael Longley
- 2000: Edwin Morgan
- 1998: Les Murray
- 1996: Peter Redgrove
- 1992: Kathleen Raine
- 1991: Judith Wright
- 1990: Sorley MacLean
- 1989: Allen Curnow
- 1988: Derek Walcott
- 1986: Norman MacCaig
- 1981: D. J. Enright
- 1977: Norman Nicholson
- 1974: Ted Hughes
- 1973: John Heath-Stubbs
- 1971: Stephen Spender
- 1970: Roy Fuller
- 1969: Stevie Smith
- 1968: Robert Graves
- 1967: Charles Causley
- 1965: Philip Larkin
- 1964: R. S. Thomas
- 1963: William Plomer
- 1962: Christopher Fry
- 1960: John Betjeman
- 1959: Frances Cornford
- 1957: Siegfried Sassoon
- 1956: Edmund Blunden
- 1955: Ruth Pitter
- 1954: Ralph Hodgson
- 1953: Arthur Waley
- 1952: Andrew Young
- 1940: Michael Thwaites
- 1937: W. H. Auden
- 1934: Laurence Whistler
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b "The King's Gold Medal for Poetry 2023". The Royal Family. 25 January 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "The Times". The Times & The Sunday Times. 13 March 2012. Retrieved 21 July 2012.[dead link]
- ^ Knight, Lucy (10 December 2021). "Grace Nichols' 'pioneering voice' wins her Queen's gold medal for poetry". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
- ^ Flood, Alison (18 December 2020). "David Constantine wins Queen's gold medal for poetry". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 5 June 2023.
- ^ "Poet John Agard is selected for Queen's poetry medal". BBC News. 20 December 2012.
- ^ Flood, Alison (23 December 2011). "Jo Shapcott wins Queen's gold medal for poetry". The Guardian.