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Founded in 1985, Poets House is a 70,000-volume poetry library in the heart of Battery Park City. Every year, over 80,000 visitors walk through its doors. Poets House reaches over 10,000 children and teens through its youth poetry programs. It serves as a place for quiet contemplation and a literary center for all who read and write poetry.

Poets House presents the Elizabeth Kray Award (“The Betty”) biennially to an individual or individuals whose service to the field of poetry embodies the spirit of Elizabeth Kray‘s work and ideals. View celebrated poet Claudia Rankine’s remarks on being awarded the Betty Award in 2016.

A poem by Derrick Austin, winner of the A. Poulin, Jr. Poetry Prize, selected by Mary Szybist for his debut collection, Trouble the Water (BOA Editions, 2016), part of the Poets House 24th Annual Showcase.

A poem by Tyehimba Jess, author of Olio (Wave Books, 2016), part of the Poets House 24th Annual Showcase.

A an excerpt from a long poem by Anna Moschovakis, author of They and We Will Get into Trouble for This (Coffee House Press, 2016), part of the Poets House 24th Annual Showcase.

A poem by Wayne Miller, author of Post- (Milkweed Editions, 2016), part of the Poets House 24th Annual Showcase.

A poem by New Zealand poet, Tusiata Avia (Victoria University Press).

A poem by Cameron Awkward-Rich, author of Sympathetic Little Monster (Ricochet Editions, 2016), part of the Poets House 24th Annual Showcase.

A poem by Jay Deshpande, author of Love the Stranger (YesYes Books, 2015), part of the Poets House 24th Annual Showcase.

A poem by Simone White, author of Of Being Dispersed (Futurepoem Books, 2016), part of the Poets House 24th Annual Showcase.