A poetry collection by Soraya Peerbaye is included in the Canadian titles of  the Griffin Poetry Prize shortlist of seven books.

Peerbaye made the list of overall finalists for “Tell; poems for a girlhood” (Pedlar Press), which traces events surrounding the 1997 murder of B.C. teen Reena Virk – by a group of high school classmates.

Northern Ontario writer Liz Howard was also recognized for “Infinite Citizen of the Shaking Tent” (McClelland and Stewart.)

Danish-born Canadian poet Per Brask and Manitoba-born Patrick Friesen complete the list of Canadian works for “Frayed Opus for Strings and Wind Instruments” (Brick Books), by Swedish-born Ulrikka S. Gernes.

The finalists on the international short list are;

“The Quotations of Bone” by Norman Dubie (Copper Canyon Press)

“Conflict Resolution for Holy Beings” by Joy Harjo (W. W. Norton & Company)

“40 Sonnets” by Don Paterson (Faber and Faber)

and “Heaven” by Rowan Ricardo Phillips (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

Judges Alice Oswald (U.K.) Tracy K. Smith (U.S.) and Adam Sol (Canada) selected the finalists from 633 books of poetry from 43 countries, including 25 translations.

Finalists will each be awarded $10,000 for participating in short-list readings- at Toronto’s Koerner Hall on June 1st.

One Canadian and one international winner will each be awarded $65,000 at a gala event on June 2nd.