Poetry has been central to Persea's mission since its inception, when it published essential translations of European writers like Paul Celan, Nazim Hikmet, and Osip Mandelstam. Participation in the early years of the National Poetry Series led to books by Marie Howe, Thylias Moss, and James Richardson, among others. Since 2000, Persea has developed a robust American poetry program, featuring a diverse list of extraordinary poets, including Gabrielle Calvocoressi, Randall Mann, Patrick Rosal, and Lisa Russ Spaar.
NEW & Featured Poetry
Featured Poet
Molly McCully Brown’s poems and essays have been published by Gulf Coast, Image, Kenyon Review, Meridian, The Rumpus, TriQuarterly Online, and publications. She is the author of The Virginia State Colony for Epileptics and Feebleminded and the winner of the 2016 Lexi Rudnitsky First Book Prize.
Listen to Molly speak to Terry Gross on "Fresh Air" about poetry, disability, eugenics and faith, and read about her book in the New York Times.
Lexi RUDnitskY PRIZE & AWARD
First Book Prize
The Lexi Rudnitsky First Book Prize (formerly the Lexi Rudnitsky Poetry Prize) is a collaboration between Persea Books and The Lexi Rudnitsky Poetry Project. This annual competition sponsors the publication of a poetry collection by a woman who has yet to publish a full-length book of poems. Read more about the prize.
Editor’s Choice Award
The Lexi Rudnitsky/Editor’s Choice Award is an annual collaboration between Persea Books and The Lexi Rudnitsky Poetry Project. It is open to any poet who has previously published at least one full-length book of poems. Read more about the award.
⤖Submissions should be made via Submittable between January 1st and March 15th.