The 2011 Griffin Prize Poetry - Shortlist Readings

The 2011 Griffin Poetry Prize winners will be announced later on today. 

Yesterday evening, the Griffin Poetry Prize Shortlist Readings took place in downtown Toronto in the Telus Center for performance and learning.

The Shortlist Readings began with readings from the 2011 international shortlist which included:

• Human Chain by Seamus Heaney (Robin Robertson read poems from this book, Mr. Heaney was not present at the ceremony)
• Selected Poems by Adonis (read by the translator of the book, Mr. Khaled Mattawa)
• The Book of Snow by  François Jacqmin (read by the translator of the book, Mr. Philip Moseley) and
• Heavenly Questions by Gjertrud Schnackenberg, read by its author

After the intermission a surprise: the French poet Yves Bonnefoy (b.1923) was presented with the Griffin Lifetime Recognition award - the address was delivered by Carolyn Forché.

The second part of the Readings included the Canadian shortlist, and the authors read from their books:

• Ossuaries by Dionne Brand
• The Irrationalist by Suzanne Buffam
• Lookout by John Steffler.

 Here are some images from the venue:

     
267 Bloor St. West, Toronto, where the  2011 Griffin Prize Shortlist Readings were held 

Irish novelist Colm Toíbín (right), one of the three judges for the 2011 Griffin Poetry Prize arriving at the Shortlist Readings.

The event is about to begin: