Write Out Loud Poem of the Week winner and Hull poet Peter Knaggs has been included in this year’s Forward prize anthology as one of 65 highly commended poets.

Peter’s poem ‘Badger the Cadger’ will appear in the Forward book, to be published on 17 September. It comes from his collection You’re so vain, you probably  think this book is about you, published by Hull’s Wrecking Ball Press.  

Peter pointed out that another Hull poet, Andy Fletcher, will also be published in the Forward anthology. He said: “Write Out Loud has been a great encourager for me. You picked up on myself and Mike Watts becoming poets of the week and our Hull residency [Two other Hull poets, Phil Kay and Rick Gammon have also been Poem of the Week winners]. Along with this Forward commendation it makes me believe that yes, Hull has got something going. Plus, last week I had a poem in the Morning Star, yippee!”

Peter’s poem ‘Airways, Breathing, Circulation’ was Write Out Loud Poem of the Week in May this year. You can read the full list of the Forward highly commended poets here.

The Forward prizegiving night will be on 20 September at the Royal Festival Hall.   

PHOTOGRAPH: JEROME WHITTINGHAM