Pittsburgh, PA – The Pitt Poetry Series at the University of Pittsburgh Press is pleased to announce the finalists for the 2026 Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize: 

• Afua Ansong, Mother’s First Word Was Light 

• Robert Laidler, Glass Letter 

• Max Lasky, Against Adieu 

• Migwi Mwangi, Desire Path 

• Jessica Nordell, Your Singing Is How We Will Find You 

 

The winner, selected by Terrance Hayes, will be announced on January 28, 2026.  

Established in 1981, the Agnes Lynch Starrett Poetry Prize is administered by the University of Pittsburgh Press. Named in honor of Agnes Lynch Starrett, the Press’s first director, the prize is awarded for a first full-length book of poems. 

Past winners include Bobby Elliott, Nathan Xavier Osorio, Ryler Dustin, Anuradha Bhowmik, Tiana Clark, Jan Beatty, Richard Blanco, among many others. 

Since its inception in 1967, the Pitt Poetry Series has been a vehicle for America’s finest contemporary poets. The series list includes Inaugural Poet Richard Blanco, Poet Laureate Billy Collins, Toi Derricotte, Paul Hlava Ceballos, Lynn Emanuel, Ross Gay, Etheridge Knight, David Hernandez, Aurielle Marie, Sharon Olds, Afaa Michael Weaver and many others. Throughout its history, the Pitt Poetry Series has provided a voice for the diversity that is American poetry, representing poets from many backgrounds without allegiance to any one school or style. 

Pitt Poetry Series is edited by Nancy Krygowski, and Jeffrey McDaniel. 

 

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