Congratulations to C. X. Hua, who was selected by judge Ladan Osman as the winner of the 2019 Boston Review Annual Poetry Contest! About Hua’s winning poems, Osman wrote:

I kept returning to these poems. They don’t beg for a reader. I could see no way to extract one, to rearrange this sequence. I asked myself “Why these poems?” the same way I might ask “Why do I prefer certain fingers on the piano?” These have a light touch, flexible but precise.

Hua’s winning poems—“Other People,” “Nocturne,” and “France”—appear in our special fall arts issue, Allies. To be among the first to read it, order a copy! For a limited time, use the code “ALLY20” at checkout to receive 20% off and free shipping.

Osman also selected five finalists:

  • Meredith Stricker
  • Hazem Fahmy
  • Precious Arinze
  • Rosa Martinez
  • R Brown

Stricker’s and Fahmy’s poems appear in Allies alongside Hua’s; work by the other finalists will appear on our website this fall.

As well, there were five semifinalists, whose work will appear on Boston Review’s website in coming months:

  • Kelly Butler
  • Anishka Duggal
  • K. Avvirin Gray
  • Caio Kaufman
  • Jake Orbison
  • Craig Sullender

Congratulations to Hua, as well as all the finalists and semifinalists! We’re grateful for the support of everyone who entered!