“I cannot pick material that does not relate to survival and resistance.”
Tongo Eisen-Martin, poet 

The Windham Campbell Prize is an extremely generous literary award from Yale University USA which supports 8 exceptional writers from across the globe: two writers from fiction, nonfiction, poetry and drama categories.

How good to celebrate happy news in these tough times.

I am already a big fan of the fiction winners, Anne Enright (Ireland) and Sigred Nunez (United States), but have now listened to the two poets, Anthony V. Capildeo (Scotland/Trinidad and Tobago) and Tongo Eisen-Martin (United States) on the Award website (links below for you).

This is unmissable skin-prickling listening. Two poets sharing thoughts on writing poetry. I am now ordering some of their books.

“Each year, the Windham-Campbell Prizes celebrates eight exceptional writers for their literary achievement. Each awardee receives US$175,000 each, a gift that we hope allows for the space and time to support their boldest, most vital work.”

The 2025 cohort includes Sigrid Nunez (United States) and Anne Enright(Ireland) in fiction; Rana Dasgupta (United Kingdom) and Patricia J. Williams (United States) in nonfiction; Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini (United Kingdom) and Roy Williams (United Kingdom) in drama; and Anthony V. Capildeo (Scotland/Trinidad and Tobago) and Tongo Eisen-Martin (United States) in poetry.

To learn more about each writer, head over to windhamcampbell.org where you can watch mini-documentaries on their lives and creative inspiration.

Thank you for this extraordinary gift, which in these smashed times feels even more extraordinary.

the winning poets

watch here

watch here