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Poetry Book Society names top 20 'Next Generation' poets

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The Poetry Book Society has named its “Next Generation” of 20 up-and-coming poets, something it does once every 10 years. The list contains a number of familiar and established names, including performance poet Kate Tempest, pictured, who has also been nominated for the Mercury music prize  for her hip-hop concept album album, Everybody Down.

According to the PBS, which was founded by TS Eliot, “women look set to lead the charge” over the  the next decade of poetry. Judge Clare Pollard said she had been looking for poets “who were doing something new: tackling fresh subject matter, taking both emotional and literary risks”, and “female poets seem to be particularly fearless at the moment, with names such as Emily Berry and Melissa Lee-Houghton shaking up and reinvigorating the poetry scene”.

Chair of judges Ian McMillan said the list was “visible and vocal evidence that poetry is on the crest of the wave at the moment”. McMillan, who was joined on the judging panel by Caroline Bird, Robert Crawford, Pollard and Paul Farley, added: “We are going through a really fantastic period for poetry and these writers show the confidence poetry has at the moment. It is everywhere – in festivals, open mic nights, on the internet.”

The full list of "Next Generation" poets is:  Tara Bergin, Emily Berry, Sean Borodale, Adam Foulds, Annie Freud, Alan Gillis, Rebecca Goss, Jen Hadfield, Emma Jones, Luke Kennard, Melissa Lee-Houghton, Hannah Lowe, Kei Miller, Helen Mort, Daljit Nagra, Heather Phillipson, Kate Tempest, Mark Waldron, Sam Willetts, and Jane Yeh.

You can see a picture of most of the poets, and read more details in this report in the Guardian.

◄ Kim Moore at the Spotlight in Lancaster on Friday

Write Out Loud Bolton at the Brooklyn tonight ►

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