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The Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry
Subcategory of Awards Australian Awards
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History

The Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry is given for a book of verse published by someone from the United Kingdom or a Commonwealth realm.

Recommendations for the award of the medal are made by a committee of eminent men and women of letters, under the chairmanship of the British Poet Laureate.

The obverse of the medal bears the crowned effigy of The Queen. The idea of the reverse, which was designed by Edmund Dulac, is: 'Truth emerging from her well and holding in her right hand the divine flame of inspiration - Beauty is truth and Truth Beauty.'

Instituted in 1933 by King George V, the Queen's Medal for Poetry was the idea of the then Poet Laureate, John Masefield.

Past winners have included W. H. Auden (1936), John Betjeman (1960), Philip Larkin (1965), Robert Graves (1968), Stevie Smith (1969), Stephen Spender (1971), and Ted Hughes (1974).

Source: http://www.royal.gov.uk/MonarchUK/Prizesandawards/TheQueensGoldMedalforPoetry.aspx Sighted: 3/12/2013

Notes

  • The Gold Medal for Poetry was instituted by King George V in 1933 at the suggestion of the Poet Laureate, Dr John Masefield. Recommendations for the award of the Medal are made by a committee of eminent men and women of letters, under the chairmanship of the Poet Laureate. The announcement of the award is made on Shakespeare's birthday. The Medal is given for a book of verse published by someone from the United Kingdom or the Commonwealth. Originally the award was open only to British people, but in 1985 the scope was extended to include people from the Commonwealth.

    Source: http://www.royal.gov.uk/output/Page1118.asp (Sighted 7/5/02)

Latest Winners / Recipients

Year: 2002

Year: 1998

winner Les Murray On the recommendation of Ted Hughes.

Year: 1991

Works About this Award

Les Majesty: Thank God He Met Lizzie James Hall , 1999 single work column biography
— Appears in: The Weekend Australian , 5-6 June 1999; (p. 1)
Queen Honours Poet of the Common People Tony Stephens , 1998 single work column
— Appears in: The Age , 2 December 1998; (p. 10) The Sydney Morning Herald , 2 December 1998; (p. 3)
Les Finds Nothing Wrong in Royal Gong Rosemary Sorensen , 1998 single work column
— Appears in: The Courier-Mail , 2 December 1998; (p. 1)
Royal Honor for `Ratbag' Aussie Fulfils Dying Wish Glenn Stanaway , 1998 single work column biography
— Appears in: The Advertiser , 2 December 1998; (p. 9)
King of the World Michael Duffy , 1998 single work biography
— Appears in: The Courier-Mail , 5 December 1998; (p. 26)
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