Manna Sifting

Winner of the 2009 Liam Rector First Book Prize for Poetry, Garrett J. Brown's first collection, Manna Sifting, acheives the poetic excellence and heart sought at the inception of the Prize. The Prize was established to recognize and honor Liam Rector, a man who dedicated his professional life to the success of American Letters. Having served as Executive Director of AWP, the Academy of American Poets, and founder and director of the Bennington Writing Seminars, among numerous other positions, Liam, through both his own poetry and his role as arts advocate, served the American arts community tirelessly, facilitating opportunity and creating standards for countless emerging writers. This contest, we hope, serves as a modicum of appreciation for that work, while also continuing his legacy of creating opportunities for writers.