Joelle Taylor wins Polari Prize for collection of poems on butch subculture
euronews.comLGBT+ community.The Polari Children’s and YA Prize - which was awarded for the first time this year - went to Ian Eagleton and James Mayhew for “Nen and the Lonely Fisherman” about a merman who travels to the surface world.“These are books as battle cries, as triumphs over adversity, as shamelessly gay gossip and the pursuit of pleasure in spite of all the heartaches of the past,” said journalist and author Paul Burston, who founded the prize.Taylor’s "C+nto" is - like her other work - intensely feminist and autobiographical, winning her the TS Eliot Prize earlier this year for its expert storytelling about the often overlooked and marginalised group of butch lesbians.
Taylor’s live performances are the stuff of legend and she regularly wows audiences with her impassioned poetry and unique delivery skills, which has seen her named a UK slam champion.In her previous collection “Songs My Enemy Taught Me,” the poet explores her own experiences of childhood abuse and amplifies the voices of survivors around the world.Earlier works “Ska Tissue” and “The Woman Who Was Not There” are also filled with the artist’s raw, emotional style.“Joelle Taylor has a Midas touch with words,” said judge and previous Polari Prize-winner Diana Souhami.“C+nto will open eyes, hearts and minds.
