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Simon Armitage, Seamus Heaney and Derek Walcott are to battle for this year's T S Eliot Prize for Poetry in an "exceptional year for poetry".
Heaney's Forward Prize-winning collection Human Chain is up for the £15,000 prize, alongside his two Faber stablemates: Simon Armitage's Seeing Stars and Derek Walcott's White Egrets. Also in the running are titles from Picador, Seren, Carcanet, Cape and Bloodaxe.
A record 123 collections were submitted for the 10-strong list. Chair of judges Anne Stevenson said: "The judges have found this an exceptional year for poetry, with a record number of entries, and have agreed on a strong shortlist which is unusually eclectic in form and theme."
The winner will be announced on 24th January, with £1,000 going to each of the shortlisted poets. The prize will be heralded by an evening of readings on 23rd January at London's Royal Festival Hall.
The shortlist in full:
Seeing Stars Simon Armitage (Faber)
The Mirabelles Annie Freud (Picador)
You John Haynes (Seren)
Human Chain Seamus Heaney (Faber)
What the Water Gave Me Pascale Petit (Seren)
The Wrecking Light Robin Robertson (Picador)
Rough Music Fiona Sampson (Carcanet)
Phantom Noise Brian Turner (Bloodaxe)
White Egrets Derek Walcott (Faber)
New Light for the Old Dark Sam Willetts (Jonathan Cape)