Poetry / st george's bristol
See internationally celebrated poet and Beyonce collaborator Warsan Shire read
On March 7, internationally renowned writer and poet Warsan Shire will be reading at St George’s Bristol – which is also one of the key venues for the upcoming Lyra – Bristol Poetry Festival (March 31-April 10).
The Somali-British poet was born in Nairobi and raised in London, where she became the city’s first ever Young Poet Laureate.
Her debut pamphlet Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth went on to become a bestselling poetry book; followed up by a second pamphlet, Her Blue Body.
is needed now More than ever
She made waves as the collaborator on Beyonce’s seminal visual album Lemonade and Disney film Black is King.
Shire is now launching her debut full-length poetry collection Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head, a series of poems on migration, womanhood, trauma and resilience that Roxane Gay calls “fiercely tender gifts”.
Warsan Shire – Bless the Daughter poetry collection – photo: courtesy of Raise the Bar
The event at St George’s is being put on in association with Bristol’s leading poetry and spoken word night, Raise the Bar.
RTB founder and director Danny Pandolfi – who is also co-director of Lyra, along with Lucy English – told Bristol 24/7 what it means to have such an acclaimed voice coming to the city: “Warsan Shire has a global fanbase and we’re really excited to bring her to Bristol.
“We’re hoping to reach as many people as possible.”
Warsan Shire is at St George’s Bristol, Great George St (off Park St), Bristol, BS1 5RR, on March 7 at 7.30pm. Tickets are available at www.stgeorgesbristol.co.uk.
Main photo: Leyla Jeyte
Read more: Lyra – Bristol Poetry Festival returns this Spring
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