2025 Winners

Winners Announcement

The ruth weiss Foundation, in partnership with Caesura Publishers and the Poetry Center San José, is proud to announce the recipients of the Fifth Annual ruth weiss Poetry Awards, recognizing outstanding poetry and cinepoetry inspired by visual art and the legacy of Beat icon ruth weiss.

This year’s award-winning work reflects a wide range of perspectives, from youth voices to emerging writers, to innovative artists merging film and poetry.

2025 Winners

Maverick Award
“Study in Light” (inspired by After House #3, Providence, Rhode Island, 1976 by Francesca Woodman) — Dagne Forrest

Emerging Poet Award
“The Waiting Time” (inspired by Edith Piaf & Amolia) — Alejandre Lamas-Nemec

Youth Award
“Ace of Hearts” (inspired by Doré’s Les Saltimbanques) — Arabella Gray

Cinepoem Award
“The Indiscriminate Sun” (inspired by The Sun by Edvard Munch) — Pracheta Ahana Ala

Honorable Mention — Cinepoem
“Balloon Man” (inspired by the life work of ruth weiss) — Natasha Abrahams

Honorable Mention — Youth
“I’m Still Here” (a poem for Eunice Paiva) — Andy Atzema

Founder’s Award
“Dispatches from the Future, Lady Adjusters Spend a Day in the Archives of the U.S. Treasury” (a response to an image from the Illustrated History of the United States Mint, 1887) — Jen Schneider