Announcing the results of the 2023 Saguaro Poetry Prize.
Congratulations to Jessica Turcat, the author of Hunger House, the winner of the 2023 Saguaro Poetry Prize.
Hunger House by Jessica Turcat explores the demands and promises of mortality as an observation. The midwestern rural voice of the collection establishes in minute detail the role of being alone in loneliness and finding the feminine in feminist. Turcat opens a frosted window for the unsung women who populate and moderate the flyover states only to find it is a mirror.
We also extend congratulations to Kinsale Drake, the author of The Sky was Once a Dark Blanket, first runner up.
Rarely does a collection traverse the rugged but fragile environment of the desert Southwest while acknowledging the urban environment’s cultural impact on the native inhabitants. Kinsale Drake accomplishes this feat in The Sky was Once a Dark Blanket while keeping a steady focus on the interaction of nature, tradition, and pop culture. These poems play a complex, beautifully crafted song of hope and spiritual definition for our uncertain times.
Congratulations to Samantha Padgett, the author of Strip, Astronaut, chosen for Honorable Mention.
I tend to avoid writers writing about writing, same with poets. Along comes Samantha Padgett who throws the macrocosm of astrophysics into the mix and the equation changes. Strip, Astronaut takes the dark energy of retrospection and provides a brilliant spiraling galaxy of emotion and experiences as a backdrop. The ever-present therapist serves as an avoidance mechanism in this brilliant collection. This is a powerful, moving testament to the durability of this poet as a survivor of the uncertainly principle we call reality.
Congratulations to Matthew Hawk, the author of The Mind Creates What It Needs, chosen for Honorable Mention.
The Mind Creates What It Needs is Matthew Hawk’s introspective collection of poems and brief vignettes that address the conundrums universally present in day-to-day life. These cinematic forays into the challenges, rewards, and disappointments we all experience make this a vibrant and timely excursion into a phenomenal poet’s outlook.
Choosing just a few among so many excellent entries is a difficult process. We would like to thank everyone who participated this year!
