The Iowa Poetry Prize was first awarded in 1990. Originally called the Edwin Ford Piper Poetry Award, the series was renamed with the 1993 award. Until 2001, the award honored only writers who had already published at least one book of poetry; the award is now open to new writers as well. Books in this series have also won the James Laughlin Award from the Academy of American Poets and the William Carlos Williams Award from the Poetry Society of America.
Books by more recent award winners can be purchased from the University of Iowa Press.
Award Winners from 2000
The penultimate suitor: poems, Mary Leader
A point is that which has no part: poems, Liz Waldner
Award Winners from 1999
Isolato: poems, Larissa Szporluk
Award Winners from 1998
The oval hour: poems, Kathleen Peirce
Wake: poems, Bin Ramke
Try: poems, Cole Swensen
Award Winners from 1997
Hotel Malabar: a narrative poem, Brendan Galvin
Slow work through sand: poems, Leslie Ullman
Award Winners from 1996
Inland: poems, Pamela Alexander
The bunker in the parsley fields: poems, Gary Gildner
The gates of the elect kingdom: poems, John Wood
Award Winners from 1995
Swamp candles: poems, Ralph Burns
Furious cooking: poems, Maureen Seaton
Award Winners from 1994
Tree of heaven: poems, James McKean
Massacre of the innocents: poems, Bin Ramke
Voices cast out to talk us in: poems, Ed Roberson
Award Winners from 1993
The hemophiliac's motorcycle: poems, Tom Andrews
Love's answer: poems, Michael Heffernan
In primary light: poems, John Wood
Award Winners from 1992
A shared life: poems, Katherine Soniat
Award Winners from 1991
Sunflower facing the sun: poems, Greg Pape
Award Winners from 1990
Star ledger: poems, Lynda Hull
Award Winners from 1989
Laughing Africa: poems, Terese Svoboda
Award Winners from 1988
The adamant: poems, Mary Ruefle
Award Winners from 1987
Tropical depressions: poems, Elton Glaser
Cardinal points: poems, Michael Pettit