Brunel International African Poetry Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 1 (2013) Winner
Warsan Shire
ワーサン・シャイア
Warsan Shire
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1988-08-01 （Kenya）
- Nationality
- British
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- United Kingdom (from early childhood) → Los Angeles, United States (residence)
Career
- Occupations
- Poet, Writer, Editor, Teacher
- Active Years
- 2010-
- Memberships
- Royal Society of Literature (Fellow)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | Creative Writing | Bachelor of Arts | — | — |
—
Creative Writing
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Reported to hold a BA in creative writing; institution not publicly specified
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Brunel University African Poetry Prize | — | — | Brunel University | 受賞 |
| 2013 | Young Poet Laureate for London | — | — | London Legacy Development Corporation (Spoke programme) | 選出 |
| 2014 | Poet-in-Residence (Queensland) | — | — | Queensland / Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts | 招聘 |
| 2018 | Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature | — | — | Royal Society of Literature | 選出（40 Under 40） |
| 2022 | Forward Prizes — Felix Dennis Prize for Best First Collection (shortlisted) | Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head | Best First Collection | Forward Prizes for Poetry | ショートリスト |
| 2023 | Dylan Thomas Prize (shortlisted) | Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head | — | Dylan Thomas Prize | ショートリスト |
| 2023 | Griffin Poetry Prize (longlisted) | Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head | — | Griffin Poetry Prize | ロングリスト |
Brunel University African Poetry Prize
2013
Organization:
Brunel University
Result:
受賞
Young Poet Laureate for London
2013
Organization:
London Legacy Development Corporation (Spoke programme)
Result:
選出
Poet-in-Residence (Queensland)
2014
Organization:
Queensland / Aboriginal Centre for the Performing Arts
Result:
招聘
Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature
2018
Organization:
Royal Society of Literature
Result:
選出（40 Under 40）
Forward Prizes — Felix Dennis Prize for Best First Collection (shortlisted)
2022
Work:
Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head
Category:
Best First Collection
Organization:
Forward Prizes for Poetry
Result:
ショートリスト
Dylan Thomas Prize (shortlisted)
2023
Work:
Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head
Organization:
Dylan Thomas Prize
Result:
ショートリスト
Griffin Poetry Prize (longlisted)
2023
Work:
Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head
Organization:
Griffin Poetry Prize
Result:
ロングリスト
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth
2011 PoetryA pamphlet of poems addressing immigration, family, the body, and memory; an early publication that brought attention to her work.
migrationfamilythe bodymemory
Translations
- Italian translation available
Her Blue Body
2015 Poetry (pamphlet)A limited-release pamphlet containing shorter poems that explore the body, trauma, and women's experiences.
the bodytraumafemininity
Penguin Modern Poets 3: Your Family, Your Body
2017 Poetry (contributor anthology)A contemporary poetry anthology featuring contributions from Warsan Shire alongside Malika Booker and Sharon Olds.
familythe body
Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head
2022 Poetry (collection)Her first full-length collection of poems exploring migration, motherhood, memory, trauma, and forms of violence both inside and outside the home; received international attention.
migrationmotherhoodmemorytraumaviolence
Adaptations
- [Film/visual album] Lemonade (Beyoncé visual album) / Beyoncé / 複数の監督 (2016)
- [Film/visual album] Black Is King / Beyoncé (2020)
Translations
- Italian
- Spanish
- Portuguese
- Swedish
- Danish
- Estonian
Bibliography
- Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth (2011)
- Her Blue Body (2015, pamphlet)
- Penguin Modern Poets 3: Your Family, Your Body (contributor, 2017)
- Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head (2022)
Adaptations
- Multiple poems featured in Beyoncé's visual album 'Lemonade' (2016)
- Poetry featured in Beyoncé's visual album 'Black Is King' (2020)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- emotionally rich similes and metaphorslyrical yet narrativefocus on corporeality and memory
- Recurring Motifs
- home/exilemotherhood and familythe body and its scarsmemory and traumamigration experience
Legacy
Warsan Shire has gained international recognition for poetry centered on migration and women's experiences; her collaboration with Beyoncé expanded her influence into popular culture. She is regarded as a poet who gives voice to refugees and immigrants.
Academic Societies
- Royal Society of Literature
In Popular Culture
- Poetry featured in Beyoncé's visual album 'Lemonade' (2016)
- Poetry used in the visual album 'Black Is King' (2020)
Quotes
-
"No one leaves home unless / home is the mouth of a shark."
Source: Poem 'Home' (often cited from 'Conversations about home (at a deportation centre)') (2016) -
"I also navigate a lot through memory, my memories and other people's memories, trying to essentially just make sense of stuff."
Source: Interview (BBC and other outlets) (2016)
Trivia
- Beyoncé took an interest in her work and reportedly sent flowers when her children were born.
- Born to Somali parents in Kenya, she moved to the UK with her family as a young child.
- She was mentored through The Complete Works programme for poets of colour.