New England Review and the Bread Loaf Writer’s Conference are thrilled to announce the selection of Abigail Dembo as the recipient of the twelfth annual New England Review Award for Emerging Writers. She was chosen from a skilled group of emerging writers published in NER in 2025, including the six finalists.

Abigail’s poems “The Night and its Boat,” “Later,” and “The Handcart” appeared in NER 46.3-4.

Abigail Dembo lives in Iowa City, Iowa. Her poetry has appeared or is forthcoming in The Paris Review, The Threepenny Review, Poetry London, The Best American Poetry 2025, and other places.

Abigail will receive a full scholarship to the Bread Loaf Writer’s Conference in August 2026, as the Stephen Donadio Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference Scholar. Congratulations to Abigail!