Congratulations to T.S. Eliot Prize-Winner Bhanu Kapil

We wanted to wrap up this week by focusing on a great honor for Bhanu Kapil, who has been awarded the 2020 T.S. Eliot Prize for her collection How to Wash a Heart. The judging panel — which included Mona Arshi, Andrew McMillan, and chair Lavinia Greenlaw — noted that "our shortlist celebrated the ways in which poetry is responding to profound change, and the stylistic freedom that today’s poets have claimed." "From this impressive field," they continue, "we unanimously chose Bhanu Kapil's How to Wash a Heart as our winner. It is a radical and arresting collection that recalibrates what it's possible for poetry to achieve." 

Said longlist "included an exciting mixture of established poets and relative newcomers including three debut collections, work from two Americans, as well as poets of Native American, Chinese Indonesian and British, Indian and mixed race ancestry," making both the finalists and the well-deserving winner reasons for celebration. Video of the virtual award ceremony, which included sets from all 10 finalists, will be available for viewing on the Southbank Centre's website until 1/31.

We are proud to be able to share a wide array of Kapil's work on her PennSound author page, including the most recent recording you'll find there, which was her memorable 2016 visit to our own Kelly Writers House. Among ten other full-length recordings made between 1999 and then, you'll find readings from the Segue Series at the Bowery Poetry Club, Belladonna*,  the Kelsey Street Press archives, A Voice Box, Boise State's MFA Reading Series, and Boulder's Left Hand Reading Series. Click here to start exploring.