Out of nearly 600 submissions, judge Laura Henriksen selected Robert Frost as the winner of the 2025 Lisa Brannan Prize.

Robert Frost’s writing communicates a life on the furthermost edge of American society—and shows that it’s a lot closer than one might think. A debut collection, Robert Frost, edited by Stacy Skolnik, will be released in 2026 by Book Works.

Regarding Robert's work, Laura had the following to share:

"Every time I read these poems I love them more. They give me that dizzy lurch feeling that happens when I sit on a stalled train and see another train moves past, when movement and stillness collapse in my stomach. Their form propulsive and arresting, their emotion deep and righteous, their energy atomic. I’m so glad I got to read them, glad you get to read them, and I can’t wait for Robert Frost’s book. All love and praise to mosquitoes with broken noses, pharmacists who’ll sell syringes without prescriptions, and poets who testify to place, people, and experience in gentleness and rage."

In addition to selecting Robert as this year's winner, Laura identified the following poets as finalists for this year's prize: Samira Abed, Isaiah Back-Gaal, Yuma Carpenter-New, Nica Horvitz, and Ayling Zulema Dominguez.