As the preeminent independent publisher of poetry, Copper Canyon Press fosters the work of emerging, established, and world-renowned poets for an expanding audience.
Copper Canyon Press believes poetry is vital to language and living. Since 1972, the Press has published poetry exclusively and has established an international reputation for its commitment to authors, editorial acumen, and dedication to the poetry audience.
In 1974, the Press established a permanent residency with Centrum at Fort Worden State Park. In its early years, the Press issued mostly small editions of hand-bound letterpressed books printed from hand-set type on quality paper. In the mid-70’s, the Press expanded its list to include more offset trade editions, providing broader distribution for the work of new and well established writers. In 1983, the Press suspended the publication of limited editions in order to concentrate fully on producing and marketing trade books that would maintain the highest possible standards of typography and design.
Copper Canyon Press publishes new collections of poetry by both revered and emerging American poets, anthologies, prose books about poetry, translations of classical and contemporary work from many of the world’s cultures, and re-issues of out-of-print poetry classics.
Copper Canyon has published more than 300 titles, including works by Nobel Laureates Pablo Neruda, Odysseas Elytis, Octavio Paz, Vincente Aleixandre, and Rabindranath Tagore; Pulitzer Prize-winners Ted Kooser, Carolyn Kizer, Maxine Kumin, W.S. Merwin, and Theodore Roethke; National Book Award winners Hayden Carruth, Lucille Clifton, and Ruth Stone; and some of the most original contemporary poets such as Jim Harrison, C.D. Wright, Norman Dubie, Eleanor Wilner, Jane Miller, and Olga Broumas.
Centrum and it's fellow resident partners organizations are fortunate to be located at the crown jewel of Washington's state park system. Fort Worden State Park is a 434-acre multi-use park with
over two miles of saltwater shoreline and a wide variety of services and facilities.
The park rests on a high bluff overlooking Puget Sound. Many historic buildings
remain at this 19th century military fort.
