The National and University Library of Iceland in cooperation with The Writers´ Union of Iceland awards a prize for a book of poetry published in the year 2023. The prize, entitled the May Star Poetry Award, was presented for the seventh time at a ceremony at the National Library on 15 May.

The May Star Poetry Award 2023 was awarded to Gyrðir Elíasson for his books  Dulstirni and Meðan glerið sefur.

The jury's comment on the award book states:

"The poems in Gyrðis Elíasson's poetry collection are quiet, reserved, haunting and as impressive as the poet who wrote them. But the influence of Gyrðir's work on Icelandic literature is indisputable and at the same time so integrated into our thinking that we don't always notice them. The ingredients come from many places: dreams and reality intertwine in a simple way, like nature and the man-made, joy and sorrow, humor and melancholy, countryside and city, sky and dirt. The imagery is clear, clear and charming like a lake on a bright summer day and in this clarity resides much that is true, beautiful and important. The poet uses the art of poetry to reveal to the reader the mysterious in everyday life from which he draws inspiration in a sincere and modest but at the same time complex way. Speculations of an existential nature and the search for the meaning of life are important and important to the author, but the age-old questions are constantly renewed and therefore constantly surprise the reader. The poetry work Dulstirni and Meðan glerið sefur is a valuable reminder that the beautiful lives in simplicity and is never far away."

An exhibition of the awarded book and earlier works by the prize winner was opened on this occasion.