St Lucian Poet Canisia Lubrin Wins OCM Bocas Best Book Prize
April 28, 2021
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A BOOK-LENGTH poem that the OCM Bocas prize for Caribbean Literature judges consider “post-colonial poetry at its best” has triumphed in the stakes for best book by a Caribbean writer published last year. The Dyzgraphxst by St Lucia-born poet Canisia Lubrin is the 2021 winner of the prize, which comes with an award of US$10,000 courtesy One Caribbean Media.
2021 winner of the OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, Canisia Lubrin. – Photo courtesy Bocas Lit Fest
It is the second consecutive year that a poet has won the international annual award for Caribbean writing, and the fourth poetry win in the 11-year history of the prize. Lubrin is the third St Lucia-born writer to win the overall prize, all for poetry. The other two are Derek Walcott in 2011 and Vladimir Lucien in 2015.
St Lucia-born poet Canisia Lubrin is the 2021 winner of the One Caribbean Media (OCM) Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature.
Lubrin’s The Dyzgraphxst, a book-length poem published by Penguin Random House Canada, was announced the overall winner by chief judge, Trinidadian-British poet Vahni Capildeo, during a virtual presentation streamed live via the Bocas Lit Fest website, Facebook and YouTube channel last night.
The NGC Bocas Lit Fest started on Friday and ends today.
The Canada-based poet, winner of the Bocas Lit poetry prize, was one of three genre category-topping authors shortlisted for the coveted OCM award and US$10,000 prize.
Jamaica-born Maisy Card’s debut novel, These Ghosts Are Family, winner of the Bocas Lit fiction prize, and T&T’s Andre Bagoo’s wide-ranging collection of essays, The Undiscovered Country, winner of the Bocas Lit non-fiction prize, were the other two finalists.
St Lucian poet Canisia Lubrin wins OCM Bocas best book prize
2021 winner of the OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, Canisia Lubrin. - Photo courtesy Bocas Lit Fest
A book-length poem that the OCM Bocas prize for Caribbean Literature judges consider “post-colonial poetry at its best” has triumphed in the stakes for best book by a Caribbean writer published last year. The Dyzgraphxst by St Lucia-born poet Canisia Lubrin is the 2021 winner of the prize, which comes with an award of US$10,000 courtesy One Caribbean Media.
It is the second consecutive year that a poet has won the international annual award for Caribbean writing, and the fourth poetry win in the 11-year history of the prize. Lubrin is the third St Lucia-born writer to win the overall prize, all for poetry.
2021 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature: T&T writers dominate longlist
Writers with roots in five different Caribbean territories have been longlisted for the 2021 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature, sponsored by One Caribbean Media, owner of the Express newspapers, TV6, and the OCM radio network.
The 2021 NGC Bocas Lit Fest which runs from Friday 23 – Sunday 25 April will take place online.
The OCM Bocas prize, now in its eleventh year, is internationally considered the leading literary award for Caribbean writers. The Prize recognises books in three genre categories poetry, fiction, and literary non-fiction published by authors of Caribbean birth or citizenship in the preceding year. Of the nine books longlisted for the 2021 Prize, five are by writers born in Trinidad and Tobago, with the other longlisted authors representing Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, and St. Lucia.
“Where else would you find Trinidadian street food in the same volume as an appraisal of Thom Gunn's poetry, or Dylan Thomas rubbing shoulders with soca?”