# Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Poetry

The Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Poetry, established in 1980, is a category of the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. Works are eligible during the year of their first US publication in English, though they may be written originally in languages other than English.

## Recipients

Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Poetry winners and finalists :
| Year | Author | Title | Result |
| 1980 | Robert Kelly | Kill the Messenger | Winner |
| 1981 | Ntozake Shange | Three Pieces | Winner |
| 1982 | Allen Ginsberg | Plutonian Ode and Other Poems, 1977–1980 | Winner |
| 1983 | James Merrill | The Changing Light at Sandover | Winner |
| 1984 | Charles Olson | The Maximus Poems | Winner |
| 1985 | X.J. Kennedy | Cross Ties | Winner |
| 1986 | Derek Walcott | Collected Poems, 1948–1984 | Winner |
| 1987 | William Meredith | Partial Accounts: New and Selected Poems | Winner |
| 1988 | Richard Wilbur | New and Collected Poems | Winner |
| 1989 | Donald Hall | The One Day: A Poem in Three Parts | Winner |
| 1990 | John Caddy | The Color of Mesabi Bones | Winner |
| 1990 | Marilyn Hacker | Going Back to the River | Finalist |
| 1990 | Rita Dove | Grace Notes: Poems | Finalist |
| 1990 | Gerald Stern | Leaving Another Kingdom: Selected Poems | Finalist |
| 1990 | Eamon Grennan | What Light There Is | Finalist |
| 1991 | Philip Levine | What Work Is | Winner |
| 1991 | Jorie Graham | Region of Unlikeness | Finalist |
| 1991 | Lynda Hull | Star Ledger | Finalist |
| 1991 | George Evans | Sudden Dreams: New and Selected Poems | Finalist |
| 1991 | Charles Wright | The World of the Ten Thousand Things: Poems 1980-1990 | Finalist |
| 1992 | Adrienne Rich | An Atlas of the Difficult World: Poems 1988-1991 | Winner |
| 1992 | Gerald Stern | Bread Without Sugar: Poems | Finalist |
| 1992 | Susan Prospere | Sub Rosa: Poems | Finalist |
| 1992 | Sharon Olds | The Father: Poems | Finalist |
| 1992 | Louise Glück | The Wild Iris | Finalist |
| 1993 | Mark Doty | My Alexandria | Winner |
| 1993 | Christine Garren | Afterworld | Finalist |
| 1993 | Charles Simic | Hotel Insomnia: A Novel | Finalist |
| 1993 | Lawson Fusao Inada | Legends from Camp: Poems | Finalist |
| 1993 | Yusef Komunyakaa | Neon Vernacular: New and Selected Poems | Finalist |
| 1994 | Carolyn Forché | The Angel of History | Winner |
| 1994 | Susan Wheeler | Bag O’ Diamonds: Poems | Finalist |
| 1994 | Dan Howell | Lost Country | Finalist |
| 1994 | Jorie Graham | Materialism: Poems | Finalist |
| 1994 | William Everson | The Blood of the Poet: Selected Poems | Finalist |
| 1995 | Robert Pinsky | The Inferno of Dante | Winner |
| 1995 | Gregory Orr | City of Salt | Finalist |
| 1995 | Gary Soto | New and Selected Poems | Finalist |
| 1995 | Brigit Pegeen Kelly | Song: Poems | Finalist |
| 1995 | Thomas Lux | Split Horizon: Poems | Finalist |
| 1996 | Alan Shapiro | Mixed Company | Winner |
| 1996 | Jorie Graham | Dream of the Unified Field: Selected Poems 1974-1994 | Finalist |
| 1996 | Louise Glück | Meadowlands | Finalist |
| 1996 | Stanley Kunitz | Passing Through: The Later Poems, New and Selected | Finalist |
| 1996 | Robert Pinsky | The Figured Wheel: New and Collected Poems, 1966-1996 | Finalist |
| 1996 | Lucille Clifton | The Terrible Stories: Poems | Finalist |
| 1996 | James McMichael | The World at Large: New and Selected Poems, 1971-1996 | Finalist |
| 1996 | Rodney Jones | Things That Happen Once: New Poems | Finalist |
| 1996 | David Rivard | Wise Poison: Poems | Finalist |
| 1997 | Charles Wright | Black Zodiac | Winner |
| 1997 | Carol Muske-Dukes | An Octave Above Thunder: New and Selected Poems | Finalist |
| 1997 | Peter Sacks | Natal Command | Finalist |
| 1997 | James Galvin | Resurrection Update: Collected Poems 1975-1997 | Finalist |
| 1997 | Tomaž Šalamun with Christopher Merrill | The Four Questions of Melancholy: New and Selected Poems | Finalist |
| 1998 | Alice Notley | Mysteries of Small Houses | Winner |
| 1998 | Maureen Owen | American Rush: Selected Poems | Finalist |
| 1998 | William S. Merwin | The Folding Cliffs: A Narrative | Finalist |
| 1998 | Jim Harrison | The Shape of the Journey: New and Collected Poems | Finalist |
| 1998 | Donald Hall | Without: Poems | Finalist |
| 1999 | C. K. Williams | Repair: Poems | Winner |
| 1999 | Tom Sleigh | The Dreamhouse | Finalist |
| 1999 | Heather McHugh | The Father of the Predicaments | Finalist |
| 1999 | Kathleen Peirce | The Oval Hour: Poems | Finalist |
| 1999 | David St. John | The Red Leaves of Night | Finalist |
| 2000 | Gjertrud Schnackenberg | The Throne of Labdacus | Winner |
| 2000 | Anne Carson | Men in the Off Hours | Finalist |
| 2000 | Carl Phillips | Pastoral | Finalist |
| 2000 | Nick Flynn | Some Ether: Poems | Finalist |
| 2000 | Michael Collier | The Ledge | Finalist |
| 2001 | Anne Carson | The Beauty of the Husband: A Fictional Essay in 29 Tangos | Winner |
| 2001 | Alice Fulton | Felt: Poems | Finalist |
| 2001 | James Lasdun | Landscape with Chainsaw: Poems | Finalist |
| 2001 | Pattiann Rogers | Song of the World Becoming: Poems, New and Collected, 1981-2001 | Finalist |
| 2001 | Louise Glück | The Seven Ages | Finalist |
| 2002 | Cynthia Zarin | The Watercourse: Poems | Winner |
| 2002 | J.D. McClatchy | Hazmat | Finalist |
| 2002 | Terrance Hayes | Hip Logic | Finalist |
| 2002 | John Koethe | North Point North: New and Selected Poems | Finalist |
| 2002 | Harryette Mullen | Sleeping With the Dictionary | Finalist |
| 2003 | Anthony Hecht | Collected Later Poems | Winner |
| 2003 | Rosanna Warren | Departure: Poems | Finalist |
| 2003 | Kevin Young | Jelly Roll: A Blues | Finalist |
| 2003 | Henri Cole | Middle Earth: Poems | Finalist |
| 2003 | Charles Simic | The Voice at 3:00 A.M.: Selected Late and New Poems | Finalist |
| 2004 | Richard Howard | Inner Voices: Selected Poems, 1963–2003 | Winner |
| 2004 | Catherine Tufariello | Keeping My Name | Finalist |
| 2004 | Spencer Reece | The Clerk’s Tale: Poems | Finalist |
| 2004 | Joshua Mehigan | The Optimist | Finalist |
| 2004 | Brigit Pegeen Kelly | The Orchard | Finalist |
| 2005 | Jack Gilbert | Refusing Heaven: Poems | Winner |
| 2005 | Lucia Perillo | Luck Is Luck: Poems | Finalist |
| 2005 | Donald Revell | Pennyweight Windows: New & Selected Poems | Finalist |
| 2005 | Marilyn Nelson | The Cachoeira Tales and Other Poems | Finalist |
| 2005 | Gail Mazur | Zeppo's First Wife: New and Selected Poems | Finalist |
| 2006 | Frederick Seidel | Ooga-Booga | Winner |
| 2006 | Erin Belieu | Black Box | Finalist |
| 2006 | Thom Satterlee | Burning Wyclif: Poems | Finalist |
| 2006 | Michael Waters | Darling Vulgarity: Poems | Finalist |
| 2006 | Adrian C. Louis | Logorrhea: Poems | Finalist |
| 2007 | Stanley Plumly | Old Heart: Poems | Winner |
| 2007 | Jean Valentine | Little Boat | Finalist |
| 2007 | Marvin Bell | Mars Being Red | Finalist |
| 2007 | Elaine Equi | Ripple Effect: New and Selected Poems | Finalist |
| 2007 | Albert Goldbarth | The Kitchen Sink: New and Selected Poems, 1972-2007 | Finalist |
| 2008 | Frank Bidart | Watching the Spring Festival: Poems | Winner |
| 2008 | Cole Swensen | Ours | Finalist |
| 2008 | Connie Voisine | Rare High Meadow of Which I Might Dream | Finalist |
| 2008 | Jorie Graham | Sea Change: Poems | Finalist |
| 2008 | Marie Howe | The Kingdom of Ordinary Time: Poems | Finalist |
| 2009 | Brenda Hillman | Practical Water | Winner |
| 2009 | Lyrae Van Clief-Stefanon | ]Open Interval[ | Finalist |
| 2009 | Gabrielle Calvocoressi | Apocalyptic Swing: Poems | Finalist |
| 2009 | Amy Gerstler | Dearest Creature | Finalist |
| 2009 | Tom Healy | What the Right Hand Knows | Finalist |
| 2010 | Maxine Kumin | Where I Live: New & Selected Poems 1990–2010 | Winner |
| 2010 | Craig Santos Perez | From Unincorporated Territory: Saina | Finalist |
| 2010 | Yehoshua November | God’s Optimism | Finalist |
| 2010 | Henri Cole | Pierce the Skin: Selected Poems | Finalist |
| 2010 | Ed Roberson | To See the Earth Before the End of the World | Finalist |
| 2011 | Carl Phillips | Double Shadow: Poems | Winner |
| 2011 | Bruce Smith | Devotions | Finalist |
| 2011 | Dawn Lundy Martin | Discipline | Finalist |
| 2011 | Jim Harrison | Songs of Unreason | Finalist |
| 2011 | Linda Norton | The Public Gardens: Poems and History | Finalist |
| 2012 | Louise Glück | Poems 1962–2012 | Winner |
| 2012 | Bin Ramke | Aerial | Finalist |
| 2012 | Cole Swensen | Gravesend | Finalist |
| 2012 | Rowan Ricardo Phillips | The Ground: Poems | Finalist |
| 2012 | D. A. Powell | Useless Landscape: or A Guide for Boys: Poems | Finalist |
| 2013 | Ron Padgett | Collected Poems | Winner |
| 2013 | Lynn Xu | Debts & Lessons | Finalist |
| 2013 | Mei-mei Berssenbrugge | Hello, the Roses | Finalist |
| 2013 | Elizabeth Robinson | On Ghosts | Finalist |
| 2013 | Joshua Beckman | The Inside of an Apple | Finalist |
| 2014 | Claudia Rankine | Citizen: An American Lyric | Winner |
| 2014 | Katie Ford | Blood Lyrics: Poem | Finalist |
| 2014 | Peter Gizzi | In Defense of Nothing: Selected Poems, 1987-2011 | Finalist |
| 2014 | Gillian Conoley | Peace | Finalist |
| 2014 | Fred Moten | The Feel Trio | Finalist |
| 2015 | Jorie Graham | From the New World: Poems 1976–2014 | Winner |
| 2015 | Rick Barot | Chord | Finalist |
| 2015 | Jean Valentine | Shirt in Heaven | Finalist |
| 2015 | Fiona Sze-Lorrain | The Ruined Elegance | Finalist |
| 2015 | Robin Coste Lewis | Voyage of the Sable Venus | Finalist |
| 2016 | Rosmarie Waldrop | Gap Gardening: Selected Poems | Winner |
| 2016 | Robyn Schiff | A Woman of Property | Finalist |
| 2016 | Ishion Hutchinson | House of Lords and Commons: Poems | Finalist |
| 2016 | Phillis Levin | Mr. Memory & Other Poems | Finalist |
| 2016 | Jane Mead | World of Made and Unmade | Finalist |
| 2017 | Patricia Smith | Incendiary Art: Poems | Winner |
| 2017 | Alessandra Lynch | Daylily Called it A Dangerous Moment | Finalist |
| 2017 | David Wojahn | For the Scribe | Finalist |
| 2017 | Shane McCrae | In the Language of my Captor | Finalist |
| 2017 | Evie Shockley | semiautomatic | Finalist |
| 2018 | Carl Phillips | Wild is the Wind: Poems | Winner |
| 2018 | Jos Charles | Feeld | Finalist |
| 2018 | Terrance Hayes | American Sonnets for My Past and Future Assassin | Finalist |
| 2018 | Diana Khoi Nguyen | Ghost Of | Finalist |
| 2018 | Diane Seuss | Still Life with Two Dead Peacocks and a Girl | Finalist |
| 2019 | Ilya Kaminsky | Deaf Republic: Poems | Winner |
| 2019 | Reginald Dwayne Betts | Felon | Finalist |
| 2019 | Sally Wen Mao | Oculus | Finalist |
| 2019 | Mary Ruefle | Dunce | Finalist |
| 2019 | Carmen Gimenez Smith | Be Recorder | Finalist |
| 2020 | Victoria Chang | Obit | Winner |
| 2020 | Anthony Cody | Borderland Apocrypha | Finalist |
| 2020 | Nikky Finney | Love Child’s Hotbed of Occasional Poetry: Poems and Artifacts | Finalist |
| 2020 | Natalie Diaz | Postcolonial Love Poem | Finalist |
| 2020 | Honorée Fanonne Jeffers | The Age of Phillis | Finalist |
| 2021 | Diane Seuss | frank: sonnets | Winner |
| 2021 | CM Burroughs | Master Suffering | Finalist |
| 2021 | Rita Dove | Playlist for the Apocalypse: Poems | Finalist |
| 2021 | Martín Espada | Floaters: Poems | Finalist |
| 2021 | Mai Der Vang | Yellow Rain: Poems | Finalist |
| 2022 | Dionne Brand | Nomenclature: New and Collected Poems | Winner |
| 2022 | James Cagney | Martian: The Saint of Loneliness | Finalist |
| 2022 | Marwa Helal | Ante Body | Finalist |
| 2022 | Cynthia Parker-Ohene | Daughters of Harriet: Poems | Finalist |
| 2022 | Solmaz Sharif | Customs: Poems | Finalist |
| 2023 | Airea D. Matthews | Bread and Circus: Poems | Winner |
| 2023 | K. Iver | Short Film Starring My Beloved’s Red Bronco | Finalist |
| 2023 | Maggie Millner | Couplets: A Love Story | Finalist |
| 2023 | Jenny Molberg | The Court of No Record: Poems | Finalist |
| 2023 | Simon Shieh | Master: Poems | Finalist |