20.35 Africa
@20_35Africa
Submissions Closed| 20.35 Africa is dedicated to bringing living African poets to the forefront of the literary conversation domestically & abroad.
“foreign iron evaporates from our wrists & clasping shaky hands in reverence, we, my sisters & me, submerge return to our all-forgiving mother, the sea.” - In Memory of Those Who Chose the Other Sea By Tramaine Suubi. 2035africa.org/poems/in-memor…
“We watched the end of the world and chose to live with birds and trees, groping for each other’s warmth on cold nights like Adam did with God in Eden.” - Chinuzoke Chinuwa in Vol VII Read here: 👇🏾 2035africa.org/poems/adam-of-…
last night / this morning, i turned in the final draft of my book. cover reveal and pre-order link for “Bloodmercy” drops tomorrow.
good morning to a new chapter. i am elated, joyweeping, astonished, honored to share that my debut, full-length collection of poems is the 2025 winner of the APR / Honickman First Book Prize, as selected by Nicole Sealey. 🐐🩸Bloodmercy🩸🐐 @CopperCanyonPrs • September 9, 2025
Since 2017, we’ve championed living African poets across the continent and diaspora all powered by a pro-bono team. In our continuous effort to uplift and support African Letters, we are seeking donations to cover our administrative & operating costs. 👇🏾 2035africa.org/donate/
Our mini-interview session with New Poet, Naomi Nduta Waweru (@_ndutawaweru ) is now live! 🎉🎉 In this session, Naomi invites us into her craft’s intricate world expounding the influence of community and the body as motif in her work Read here👇🏾: 2035africa.org/new-poets/naom…
“In many ways, I tend to think of poetry as more liberatory – with prose, I feel this sense that I have to give all the details in some sort of cohesive narrative order…” - Sarah Yanni. 2035africa.org/conversations/…
New month means a new poet of the month! 🎉 We are ecstatic to announce Kenyan Poet, Naomi Nduta Waweru (@_ndutawaweru )as our featured New Poet of the month. Learn more here: 👇🏾 2035africa.org/new-poets/naom…
We are pleased to announce our mini interview session with Mugabi Byenka (@mugabsb ), our featured New Poet for the month of May. In this edition, Mugabi analyses inclusivity in African poetics through the lens of care and compassion. Read here👇🏾: 2035africa.org/new-poets/muga…
cover reveal and pre-order link for “Bloodmercy”: …-american-poetry-review.myshopify.com/collections/bo… Image Credit: “Africaine No. 2” by Shawn Theodore from his “Future Antebellum” series
“the day is not ripe yet but a muezzin harvests it with a sickle, spreads it on a tray & calls the world to feast. a preacher would not bulge, he walks past, throws punch-like sermon: the world will end..” Ìbàdàn – Damilola Omotoyinbo @_Damilola_O . 2035africa.org/poems/ibadan-d…
Me to the orangey, solitude invites a wagtail to tell the tangled wood tale. A sunbird to mourn a mother on a spray. Rain and son in a single combat, on one leg standing, in the silence of the passage, the young bird at the passage by Chris Okigbo's "The Heavens Gate."
"You're not as simple as they wanted you to be"
What’s that ONE line from a poem or a book or any piece of literature that lives in your head rent free?
"You said I killed you...haunt me then"
What’s that ONE line from a poem or a book or any piece of literature that lives in your head rent free?
I know you are okay, but are you all right? –In Memoriam, Alice Winn
What’s that ONE line from a poem or a book or any piece of literature that lives in your head rent free?
I've been praying and these are what my prayers look like Dear God, I'm from two countries One is thirsty and the other is on fire Both need water - Warsan
Nothing is better than living a storyless life that needs no writing for meaning."
What’s that ONE line from a poem or a book or any piece of literature that lives in your head rent free?
"I have ached to be so beautiful" by @Ibn_Yushau44. ❤️
What’s that ONE line from a poem or a book or any piece of literature that lives in your head rent free?