The 2015 Individual World Poetry Slam Champion, Sudanese-American poet and activist, Emtithal ‘Emi’ Mahmoud once again echoes the voices of the dispossessed at the 2021 climate summit in Scotland. The incredible ‘Emi’, whom took home the crown of World Poetry Champion in Washington, D.C., six years ago, is back with her palpably impassioned and thought-provoking style of poetry, delivering another heartfelt poetic address before world leaders at this year’s climate summit. Emtithal, herself a refugee and witness to the dire situation in Darfur (a region in western Sudan) has used her voice to call for urgent action, while concomitantly raising awareness to the efforts made by refugees to adapt to their habitats. On Monday afternoon, Emtithal took to Twitter to explain the inspiration behind the poem ‘Di Baladna’, which she wrote for the summit, citing, among other things, the village her father was born in no longer existing due to climate change and the conflict in Sudan. “I wrote this poem to open the door to our truth, the urgency & lasting change,” she wrote in the short yet apropos Twitter post, providing a straightforward and simultaneously profound summary of the urgent need to break ground and pave the way for long-lasting change. For years, the veteran poet has voiced her concerns over the plights of the dispossessed refugees she has met, determinedly bringing attention to the hardships endured by Syrian refugees in Jordan and Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh; struggles she once experienced as a child before escaping from Darfur. “How will the world end?” Emtithal expresses rhetorically. “I don’t know. And I don’t want to find out. Not in our generation, and not in the next.” To see the full video for ‘Di Baladna’ and more pertinent content from Emtithal, head over to her official Twitter page. Written by: Liam Spencer
Tag Archives: written poetry
Caleb Femi Among Forward Prizes Winners 2021
It’s been a great year for arts and culture as we recover from the pandemic, and it’s been an even better year for poet Caleb Femi as he wins Best First Collection for his poetry publication, Poor. The 28 year-old poet, film-maker, and photographer from London has been praised for his debut poetry collection by the likes of Michaela Coel that draws upon his personal experiences over time living on North Peckham estate. One of these experiences include recollecting the tragic murder of 10 year-old Damilola Taylor in 2000. Poor draws upon some of the dark themes that we rarely see in the world of written poetry. His work provides a visualisation of the raw reality of what it’s like living in a working-class area that has long needed nurturing and investment. Luke Kennard won ‘Best Collection’ with Notes on the Sonnets; a collection of responses to Shakespeare’s sonnets, and Nicole Sealey won ‘Best Single Poem’ for ‘Pages 22-29, An excerpt from the Ferguson Report: An Erasure’. All three winners received mass praises for their work by the judges, the poetry community, and across social media. The Forward Arts Foundation is a charity organisation dedicated to promoting poetry in the UK and Ireland. Their programmes allow people to enjoy the art of poetry whilst supporting the talented writers behind the words. The organisation is also responsible for National Poetry Day, an annual celebration that brings together poets, publishers, booksellers, and organisations of all kinds to embrace the art of poetry in different forms. Find out more about this years winners here.