Seamus Heaney First Collection Poetry Prize 2021
One of the highlights of the Seamus Heaney Centre calendar returns to QFT Player: The Seamus Heaney First Collection Poetry Prize 2021.
Hosted by Stephen Sexton, alongside his fellow judges, Nick Laird and Elaine Feeney, the Poetry Prize Award Night took place online this year, with readings from the shortlisted writers and from the winning collection.
Speaking from No Alibis Bookstore, with a small but enthusiastic, socially distanced audience, while a virtual audience and guest writers joined from home, Stephen introduced poems by Linda Anderson, Daniel Hardisty, Katherine Horrex, Safiya Sinclair, and this year’s winner, Sumita Chakraborty.
“Arrow by Sumita Chakraborty is a marvellous collection for both the maximalist and minimalist. Here are brief lyrics, prose essays, parables, lengthy lineated epics – and all of them given life with language stretched and pummelled into shape. Dealing in myth, astronomy, autobiography, philosophy, physics and metaphysics, Chakraborty possesses a singular outlook and the tone of a prophet.” - Nick Laird, Chair of the Judges Panel
The Seamus Heaney First Collection Poetry Prize is supported by the Atlantic Philanthropies.