The Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize is an annual award administered by Waywiser Press, named for Anthony Hecht, a poet whose formal mastery and moral seriousness earned him the Pulitzer Prize and a lasting place in American letters. The prize is specifically designed for poets at a particular juncture in their publishing lives: those who have published no more than one previous book of verse. This constraint positions the award as a meaningful threshold for poets transitioning from a first collection toward a sustained body of work, offering recognition at a moment when institutional support can be decisive. Waywiser Press, an independent literary publisher with a transatlantic presence, has long demonstrated a commitment to poetry that values craft, intellectual rigor, and emotional depth—qualities consonant with Hecht's own legacy. The prize is not merely a contest but a curatorial statement: it seeks manuscripts that exhibit formal control, historical awareness, and a distinctive voice, rather than work that merely follows fashion. The winning poet receives publication of their collection by Waywiser Press, a tangible outcome that distinguishes this prize from awards that offer only a cash sum or a reading. The press's editorial involvement ensures that the selected manuscript is not just honored but carefully ushered into print. The competition is open to poets regardless of geographic location, with submissions conducted online. A reading fee of $29.00 (USD) applies. The deadline is fixed: December 1, 2026. For poets who have already published a first book and are now shaping a second, the Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize represents a rare opportunity to place a manuscript with a publisher whose list reflects a serious, non-commercial dedication to the art. It is a prize that asks for work of ambition and finish, and it rewards those who understand that poetry is a vocation measured in decades, not seasons.