The League of Canadian Poets have announced the shortlists for the 2021 Book Awards. The winners, to be announced on May 6 via the LCP newsletter and social channels, will each receive $2,000. The League of Canadian Poets is a non-profit dedicated to promoting Canadian poetry and artistic expression.

2021 Gerald Lampert Memorial Award (presented for a debut poetry collection)
Jury: DA Lockhart, Nisha Patel, and Phoebe Wang

• The Response of Weeds, Bertrand Bickersteth (NeWest Press)
• the gospel of breaking, Jillian Christmas (Arsenal Pulp Press)
• I Am Still Your Negro, Valerie Mason-John (University of Alberta Press)
• Where Things Touch, Bahar Orang (Book*hug Press)
• Bones, Tyler Pennock (Brick Books)
• Bittersweet, Natasha Ramoutar (Mawenzi House)

2021 Pat Lowther Memorial Award (presented for a book of poetry by a woman)
Jury: Puneet Dutt, Doyali Islam, and Cassidy McFadzean

• Burning Sugar, Cicely Belle Blain (Arsenal Pulp Press)
• Sick, Jody Chan (Black Lawrence Press)
• the gospel of breaking, Jillian Christmas (Arsenal Pulp Press)
• Body Count, Kyla Jamieson (Nightwood Editions)
• Waking Ground, shalan joudry (Gaspereau Press)
• Washes, Prays, Noor Naga (McClelland & Stewart)

2021 Raymond Souster Award (presented for a book of poetry published by a League member)
Jury: Cheryl Antao-Xavier, Jacob MacArthur Mooney and David Martin

• The Outer Wards, Sadiqa de Meijer (Véhicule Press/Signal Poetry)
• Hell Light Flesh, Klara du Plessis (Palimpsest Press)
• The Fool, Jessie Jones (Goose Lane Editions)
• Burning Province, Michael Prior (McClelland & Stewart)
• Junebat, John Elizabeth Stintzi (House of Anansi Press)
• Word Problems, Ian Williams (Coach House Books)