The Central Avenue Poetry Prize 2025 [Paperback]

Imagine having access to the finest debut poetry from a diverse array of emerging poets, all conveniently compiled in a single volume. The second instalment ofThe Central Avenue Poetry Prizemaintains the exceptional standard set by its inaugural edition.

This second volume ofThe Central Avenue Poetry Prizeoffers a collection of depth and breadth from poets worldwide and of various backgrounds. Readers will find a tapestry of emotions—heartache, longing, laughter, and the essence of life itself—each poem capturing human creativity and experience.

From anecdotes to reflections, from tales of beauty to moments of raw truth, this collection serves as both a tribute to the art form and a poignant reminder that writing is an extension of living—an act of expression that allows us to reveal ourselves and connect with others.Working beside the sea in the Pacific Northwest, Beau Adler has worn many different hats, but his fervent passion for literature led him to the publishing world—where he intends on staying. When he isn’t reading and writing emails, Beau is jogging, hiking with his dog, or binge-watching sitcoms on Netflix. Beau is the editor of the 2024 & 2025 edition of theCentral Avenue Poetry Prize."It's amazing when an anthology of different voices still manages to feel like a cohesive, breathing whole. These poems, together, are a choir, a song of hope and longing you will feel vibrating deep in your bones long after reading. "tell me everything you know / of tenderness" this book asks of its reader, and I am here, with my chest unlocked, ready to speak of it." —Grant Chemidlin, author ofWhat We Lost in the Swamp

This collection reads like a secret, some whispered truth offered in hushed tone on the edges of a crowded room. It sticks with you that way, too. These poems, these raw and varied, diverse and vulnerable bits of ache, of joyl#7