MFAW-WA faculty member Bhanu Kapil, the Judith E. Wilson Poetry Fellow, has been awarded a 2020 Cholmondeley Award by the UK Society of Authors. These awards are given to poets for their general body of work and contribution to poetry. According to oxfordreference.com, ‘this is the leading lifetime achievement award for British poets’.
Past winners include literary luminaries such as Linton Kwesi Johnson, Jackie Kay, Grace Nichols, Carol Ann Duffy, Philip Larkin, Edward Brathwaite, Derek Walcott, Seamus Heaney, & Stevie Smith, among others.
The Cholmondeley Awards for Poets recognise the achievement and distinction of individual poets. They are honorary awards and submissions are not accepted. The recipients are chosen by the Awards Committee for their general body of work and contribution to poetry.
Congratulations, Bhanu!
In big news, Cholmondeley is pronounced “Chum-lee.” I did not realize this until the day of the award ceremony itself.