Warsan Shire on a Nation of Poets

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BBC Radio 4 - Warsan Shire on a Nation of Poets

British-Somali poet Warsan Shire investigates and showcases Somalia's rich poetic life.

Acclaimed poet Warsan Shire explores a thriving world of Somali poetry. What's it like living in a culture dominated by poetry? Is the Somali diaspora reshaping ancient tradition?

Imagine a place where poets lead armies into battle and strike fear into politicians, where poems accompany birth and marriage, work and worship, where the greatest poets write lyrics to pop songs and are treated like celebrities. 

For Somalis, in the Somali territories and beyond, this is a cultural reality - a world were the rhythms and images of poetry are built into everyday speech and learnt from birth, where poetry is simply the natural language. 

Acclaimed British Somali poet Warsan Shire explores what it means to be part of a culture which puts poetry at its centre, a “nation of poets”, and asks where this thriving tradition is going next. As a new Somali generation comes of age in a diaspora spread across the world, how are traditions adapting to new contexts and how is technology helping poetry thrive in a hyper-connected community?

Sharing their insights, memories and poetry with Warsan are British Somali poets Momtaza Mehri and Samatar Elmi, academics Dr Christina Woolner and Dr Martin Orwin and famous Somali poet Xasan Daahir Ismaaciil known to his many fans and followers as 'Weedhsame’.

Presented by Warsan Shire
Produced by Michael Umney
A Just Radio production for BBC Radio 4

Picture credit: Leyle Jeyte

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