When Clara Costello, U3 Physics and English Major took ENGL 311: Poetics during the Fall 2023 semester with Dr. Carmen Mathes, she not only discovered a love for discussing and analysing poems, but also found an opportunity to continue participating in lively conversations with poetry lovers by volunteering for the Montreal International Poetry Prize (MIPP).
“I confess that I initially felt anxious about joining, since members of the MIPP clearly seemed to have greater expertise in poetry than I did, considering that I spend much of my time in Physics courses,” says Clara. “My anxiety was misplaced, however, as the MIPP team instantly made me feel welcome and valued, creating a community of thoughtful learning and the free exchange of ideas. The MIPP has reinforced my view that poetry is for everyone.”
The Montreal International Poetry Prize, a biennial award of $20,000 CAD for an original English-language poem, is administered by a committee of ɬ professors, staff, and students, under the direction of Dr. Carmen Mathes, Associate Professor in the Department of English.
Although the Prize was founded in Montreal by Asa Boxer, a ɬ alum, it has been recognized and lauded for its truly international character. Since its foundation, the Prize has featured prominent judges from the poetry world such as Andrew Motion, former Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, Lorna Goodison and Don Patterson, both recipients of the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry, and the late Eavan Boland. This the prize will be judged by Pulitzer Prize winning Mojave poet Natalie Diaz and features an international jury of award-winning poets from Australia, South Africa, Northern Ireland and Hawai’i.
MA student Izzi Holmes began volunteering for the Montreal prize during the second year of her undergraduate degree, after also enrolling in ENGL 311, and now serves as the Prize’s events manager.
“I’m very glad to have had the chance to stay involved over the last few years in various capacities, whether that be with social media or events,” says Izzi. “Something I value about the Montreal Prize is that it opens doors for so many people — of course for the poet who wins the $20,000 prize, but also for the writers who get their work published in the anthology, as well as the students like me who get to learn new skills by being in the Montreal Prize’s orbit.”
The Montreal Poetry Prize Anthology is published by Véhicule Press, a small independent press based in Montréal, and features sixty-five poems that were selected by that year’s committee of jurors, as well as the prize year’s winning poem.
"I look forward to reading The Montreal Poetry Prize Anthology," says Clara. "I have loved discovering new poets through the MIPP, and I am always eager for recommended poems to read, reflect on, and bring into my life. I’ve learned that I can never know where a poem will take me."
The Prize has been administered through the Department of English since 2019, and since then the ɬ undergraduate and graduate students who have volunteered to steer the Prize through its biennial run have contributed to its growth and its outreach efforts. The Prize’s outreach activities include of published poetry works, and the Fluid Vessels online speaker series, which was established in 2022 by PhD Candidate Martin Breul, the Prize’s current Operations Manager. The series spotlights the work of the Prize’s jury members, as well as other emerging poets, with the aim of connecting poets and poetry lovers from across the world.
“Each winter, I look forward to ,” says Izzi. “Since these readings take place online, we get to hear a number of different poets from across the globe read their work aloud, respond to one another, and engage with the audience in real time, no matter where they are in the world, which is so special.”
For Clara and Izzi, volunteering for the Prize has been an important and transformative part of their respective journeys at ɬ. Since volunteering for the Prize, Izzi has been involved as one of the Editors-in-Chief of ɬ’s Scrivener Creative Review.
“Working with the Montreal Prize not only instilled in me a passion for contemporary poetry, but also a community, at ɬ and otherwise, to share it with, both of which have certainly shaped my academic and professional trajectory,” says Izzi. “What I have learned about the contemporary literary landscape as well as the inner workings and operations of an arts nonprofit from being involved with the Montreal Prize has also equipped me with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to pursue adjacent literary endeavors of my own, like reviving ɬ’s oldest literary magazine, .”
Although Clara initially began her journey with the MIPP with some reluctance, she now sees how the “sheer joy of reading and discussing poetry” has shaped her perspective as a science and literature student.
“The Prize has brought a fresh and lively new perspective to the rigours of my degree requirements by reminding me of the sheer joy of reading and discussing poetry and lifting me out of the classroom setting,” says Clara. “Being involved with the MIPP has also given me a valuable window into Montréal’s literary sphere. Promoting the Prize at Literary Oktoberfest this past fall gave me a glimpse of Montréal’s poetry and publishing scene and contributing to MIPP meetings gave me firsthand experience with how a literary community and organization comes together and supports its goals and its members.”
In light of April's National Poetry Month, we asked Clara and Izzi to share some poetry recommendations with our readers. Here are their recommendations:
Izzi: "In the Montreal Prize spirit, I’d recommend Medrie Purdham’s 2021 collection Little Housewolf, which I earlier this year. Purdham served as a juror in 2022, and two of her poems were shortlisted in 2024, including “,” which is now one of my all-time favourites. Some other poems I return to often include “” and “” by Margaret Atwood, Kay Ryan’s “,” Elizabeth Bishop’s “,” Gertrude Stein’s “,” Derek Webster’s “,” Karen Solie’s “,” and recently, Billy-Ray Belcourt’s “Sentimentality.”
Clara: "I was not an avid reader of poetry beyond the classroom context before joining the MIPP. Working with the MIPP has allowed me to discover wonderful poems such as Sachiko Murakami’s “We Have A Problem” and “You Think It Safe to Talk About the Weather,” Sheryda Warrener’s “,” and Sinéad Morrissey’s “,” which I highly recommend."
Submissions for the 2026 Montreal International Poetry Prize are open until May 15, 2026. Submit your poem of forty or fewer lines .
For news and updates regarding the Montreal International Poetry Prize make sure to follow them on Instagram @montrealprize