Pnina Shinebourne’s sequence of poems - titled Uproot – took the top title in last year’s competition after standing out from almost 100 entries.
The , which was founded by the in memory of Professor Bill Overton (1946-2012), is given to a sequence of poems on any subject, up to 300 lines.
Pnina previously described her winning collection as “a story of vision and resilience, and of an emergence of a multidimensional sense of belonging through new configurations of multiple voices and places”.
She said the poems, which evolved from life tales, “capture the Ethiopian Jewish community’s quest for reaching a mythical Jerusalem, through crossings of deserts, dislocation and loss” and “expose the clash between a place in the imagination, and the harsh reality of trying to make sense of a totally different social and cultural world”.
Now Uproot is to be published in chapbook form and, to mark the occasion, an official launch will take place at Martin Hall, Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ University, on 24 April. The event, which is to run from 6:30pm-8:30pm, will feature live poetry readings from members of staff, students, Overton Poetry Prize judges and Pnina herself.
Last year’s competition was critiqued by poet Helen Calcutt and , Programme Director for Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²Ê¹ÒÅÆ’s .
Commenting on Uproot, Dr Kerry Featherstone said: “This is a story that needed telling, and needs reading. The collection includes a wide range of forms, each of which is well-chosen for the part of the story it tells.
“The cumulative effect is powerful: a combination of cultural authenticity and personal experience. Some of the emotions are raw, but the writing always does them justice.”
added: “I felt like I was being introduced to a new world. Pnina is a great story-teller, which is unusual for a poet; added to this are the striking images that appear in her work.
“The combination of English and her mother-tongue is effective and lends a musical tone; the collection is like a long exhalation: complete and expressive.”
The launch event is free to attend, with booking available .
There will be copies of the pamphlet signed by Pnina available to buy on the night, as well as a range of arts organisations - including , and - present to discuss their programmes and activities on offer.