Alumnus Anthony Joseph wins top poetry prize

Poet and Goldsmiths alumnus Anthony Joseph has been awarded the prestigious T.S. Eliot Prize 2022 for his “luminous collection” Sonnets for Albert.

Joseph, who has an MA in Creative Writing and PhD from the Department of English and Comparative Literature, received the £25,000 award for the work which explores the writer’s relationship with his father. 

Chosen from a shortlist of 10, the award’s Chair of Judges Jean Sprackland said: “From this strong field our choice is Anthony Joseph’s Sonnets for Albert, a luminous collection which celebrates humanity in all its contradictions and breathes new life into this enduring form.”

An interview with Joseph about Sonnets for Albert and his wider work is on the T.S. Eliot Prize website.

The prize is considered the leading poetry award in the UK with previous winners including Ted Hughes, Carol Ann Duffy and Derek Walcott. 

This year saw a record submission of 201 poetry collections from British and Irish publishers, with the eclectic shortlist comprising of established poets, including one previous winner, and five debut collections.