Warsan Shire Poems: A Collection for the Voiceless
Who is she?
Born in Nairobi, raised in London, Somali British poet Warsan Shire has three incredible poetry collections and one smash hit Beyonce song showcasing her evocative verses. After publishing her first two chapbooks, Teaching My Mother How to Give Birth and Her Blue Body, Shire became the first Young Poet Laureate of London and the youngest inductee of the Royal Society of Literature.
I’m from Somalia where there has been a war going on for my entire life. And my relatives and my friends and my mother’s friends have experienced things that you can’t imagine… Them being able to tell me, and then me writing it, it’s cathartic,
being able to share their stories, even if it is something really
terrible, something really tragic.Warsan Shire
She was raised with tales of exile and resilience of her people. Shire’s poetry delves deeply into the traumatic experiences of immigrants and refugees. She writes about dysfunctional family dynamics, complex romantic relationships, body dysmorphia, misogyny, self-loathing, and sexual assault. Her poetry is raw and authentic. It showcased a sense of belonging, or lack thereof, that speaks to her experience and struggles with identity as a multicultural woman, offering readers a place of solidarity.
Shire’s unique combination of East African storytelling styles and coming-of-age themes is powerful both on the page and through her spoken word performances. Her poetry is in Beyonce’s 2016 film Lemonade, as well as in Beyonce’s 2020 film Black Is King. Warsan Shire produced her own spoken word album, warsan versus melancholy (the seven stages of being lonely), in 2012. Which was allowing the world to experience the beauty of her work in audio form.
Her most recent collection, Bless the Daughter Raised by a Voice in Her Head, is currently available. Shire remains committed to illuminating broader societal issues through her arresting poetry. Her unflinching voice speaks not just for herself but for countless others who find their stories within her lines.
Warsan Shire Poetry
warsan versus melancholy (the seven stages of being lonely) by Warsan Shire
