The May Star Poetry Prize was presented at the National Library on Wednesday, May 18. The Icelandic Writers' Association is sponsoring the prize together with the National Library of Iceland - University Library.

The May Star for Poetry Book of the Year 2021 will be awarded to Haukur Ingvarsson for the book Menn sem elska menn.

The jury's comment on the award book states:

"In Men who love men, Haukur Ingvarsson writes about heavy bodies and floating spirits, about the gravity of the universe, the love that binds matter and keeps suns on track. With clever imagery, the poet glimpses the entire world from the dark depths of the ocean to the vast expanse of space, while reflections on footprints on a thin shell across the depths raise suspicions of a surface that could crack at any time. The poems reveal a dense web of references to Icelandic literature throughout the ages, broadening their range of meaning. The book's most persistent themes and purposeful symbols concern love, friendship, and masculinity. The poet encourages us to delve into the immeasurable depths of words and teachings and to have a spiritual rendezvous. Men who love men is a book that calls for repeated reading and richly rewards those who heed that call."

Haukur Ingvarsson was born in Copenhagen in 1979 and raised in the northern town of Hafnarfjörður. He completed his PhD in Icelandic literature from the University of Iceland in 2020. Haukur worked as a program