THE NATIONAL POETRY SERIES

The National Poetry Series was established in 1978 to ensure the publication of five poetry books annually through participating publishers. Publication is funded by the Lannan Foundation; the late James A. Michener and Edward J. Piszek through the Copernicus Society of America; Stephen Graham; International Institute of Modern Letters; Joyce & Seward Johnson Foundation; Juliet Lea Hillman Simonds Foundation; and the Tiny Tiger Foundation. This project also is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.

2005 COMPETITION WINNERS

Steve Gehrke of Columbia, Missouri,

Michelangelo’s Seizure

Chosen by T. R. Hummer, University of Illinois

Press

Nadine Meyer of Columbia, Missouri,

The Anatomy Theater

Chosen by John Koethe, HarperCollins

Patricia Smith of Tarrytown, New York,

Teahouse of the Almighty

Chosen by Edward Sanders, Coffee House Press

S. A. Stepanek of West Chicago, Illinois,

Three, Breathing

Chosen by Mary Ruefle, Wave Books

Tryfon Tolides of Farmington, Connecticut,

An Almost Pure Empty Walking

Chosen by Mary Karr, Penguin Books