The League of Canadian Poets has revealed the finalists for its series of annual poetry awards. The league also named Vancouver spoken word artist R.C. Weslowski the winner of its Sheri-D Wilson Golden Beret Award. Each $1,000 prize will be presented at a ceremony on June 18 during the Canadian Writers’ Summit in Toronto.

Gerald Lampert Memorial Award for first poetry book

• Rue by Melissa Bull (Anvil Press)
• Laws & Locks by Chad Campbell (Véhicule Press)
• Transmitter and Receiver by Raoul Fernandes (Nightwood Editions)
• Otter by Ben Ladouceur (Coach House Books)
• Hacker Packer by Cassidy McFadzean (McClelland & Stewart)
• Mockingbird by Derek Webster (Véhicule)

Pat Lowther Memorial Award for an excellent book of poetry by a woman

• The Wrong Cat by Lorna Crozier (M&S)
• calling down the sky by Rosanna Deerchild (Bookland Press)
• Terra Incognita by Adebe DeRango-Adem (Innana Publications)
• The Poison Colour by Maureen Hynes (Pedlar Press)
• Marry & Burn by Rachel Rose (Harbour Publishing)
• Trio by Sarah Tolmie (McGill-Queen’s University Press)

Raymond Souster Award for an excellent book of poetry by a League member

• The Wrong Cat by Lorna Crozier (M&S)
• The Pemmican Eaters by Marilyn Dumont (ECW Press)
• The Poison Colour by Maureen Hynes (Pedlar)
• Standard Candles by Alice Major (University of Alberta Press)
• The Arrow of Time by Bruce Meyer (Ronsdale Press)
• The Thunderbird Poems by Armand Ruffo (Harbour)