2025 Cave Canem Poetry Prize Reading in Berlin
Honoring Brandon Kilbourne for his debut collection, Natural History
Since its founding in 1996 by Toi Derricotte and Cornelius Eady, Cave Canem has been dedicated to promoting the artistic and professional growth of Black poets. Conceived as a space “by artists for artists,” the non-profit organization fosters learning, experimentation, and exchange around language, identity, and history. Its mission is to amplify Black voices, strengthen authentic expression, and challenge stereotypes within the literary space at large.
A cornerstone of this mission is the Cave Canem Poetry Prize, awarded annually to Black poets who have not yet published a book. This year’s award ceremony will take place on November 29 at 7:00 p.m. at Haus für Poesie.
The inaugural prize in 1999 went to Natasha Trethewey, later a Pulitzer Prize winner and U.S. Poet Laureate, who judged the 2025 prize. Over the years, the prize has recognized poets such as Tracy K. Smith, Major Jackson, and Donika Kelly, whose works have become milestones in contemporary African American poetry. The award honors not only literary excellence and originality but also social and cultural relevance.
This year’s winner is Brandon Kilbourne (born 1986 in Lafayette, Louisiana), honored for his debut collection Natural History (Graywolf Press, 2025). Juror Natasha Trethewey commends Kilbourne’s work as “a masterful fusion of personal memory and collective history that powerfully conveys the depth and diversity of Black experience.” She describes it further as “a complex meditation on wonder and devastation,” and “an elegy for the Earth.”
As Kilbourne currently serves as a research biologist and science officer at the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin, the award ceremony will take place this year in Berlin, hosted by Haus für Poesie and Cave Canem.
As Kilbourne currently serves as a research biologist and science officer at the Museum für Naturkunde in Berlin, the award ceremony will take place this year in Berlin, hosted by Haus für Poesie and Cave Canem.
25th Anniversary Cave Canem Prize Reading featuring Brandon Kilbourne and Babs Gons
Language: English (no German interpretation)
Admission: free
A joint event organized by Haus für Poesie and Cave Canem, held as part of Berlin Says Thank You.