Yomi Sode

Manorism

SHORTLISTED FOR THE TS ELIOT PRIZE FOR BEST NEW POETRY COLLECTION 'A wonder of a collection' Caleb Azumah Nelson 'Thrilling ... once-in-a-generation' Jackie Kay 'Genius ... tells a thousand stories in stunningly crafted verse' Nikita Gill 'Remarkable, textured ... Yomi Sode is a beautiful storyteller' Candice Carty-Williams 'Heartbreaking ... This debut is the living heart and soul of contemporary poetry' Pascale Petit 'Vivid, beautiful and deeply moving' Rt Hon Diane Abbott MP 'Yomi Sode writes with clarity, anger and love' Andrew Graham-Dixon 'Searing, shimmering, brilliant' Yrsa Daley-Ward 'A must for all lovers of poetry and its power' Roger Robinson 'Manorism is a classic' Caleb Femi Impassioned, insightful, electric, Manorism is a poetic examination of the lives of Black British men and boys: propped up and hemmed in by contemporary masculinity, deepened by family, misrepresented in the media, and complicated by the riches, and the costs, of belonging and inheritance. It is also an exploration of the differences of impunity afforded to white and Black people, and to white and Black artists. Caravaggio - originally, unexpectedly - looms large: as a man who moved between spheres of exalted patronage and petty criminality; as a painter who, amid the elegant conventions of late Mannerism, forged his own style of visceral dark and light; and as an individual whose recognized genius was allowed to legitimate and excuse his violence. In this profound and moving debut, Yomi Sode asks: what does it mean to find oneself between worlds - to 'code-switch', adapting one's speech and manners to widely differing cultural contexts? Who is, and who isn't, allowed to be more than their origins? And what do we owe each other? What do we owe ourselves?

Yomi Sode's hit show COAT tackles immigration, identity and displacement. 'I don't know my grandparents' names, how embarrassing is that? But I can name all of Kanye's albums.' Nigeria: a grandmother passes. London: a son cooks a pot of stew for his mother, hoping to uncover hidden stories and unanswered questions. A humorous and moving response to the elders who leave the next generation uncertain of what is expected of them.

Rüdiger Göbel

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