2023 Jane Underwood Poetry Prize Winner
Angel Bista
Angel Bista is a queer, Lhotsampa refugee poet from Nepal, residing on unceded Ramaytush Ohlone land. Her poems have appeared in Tiny Seed Literary Journal, Irshaad Poetry, and are forthcoming in The Heritage Journal. You can find her on Instagram @angel.intransit. Angel Bista is a queer, Lhotsampa refugee poet from Nepal, residing on unceded Ramaytush Ohlone land. Her poems have appeared in Tiny Seed Literary Journal, Irshaad Poetry, and are forthcoming in The Heritage Journal. You can find her on Instagram @angel.intransit. Angel Bista is a queer, Lhotsampa refugee poet from Nepal, residing on unceded Ramaytush Ohlone land. Her poems have appeared in Tiny Seed Literary Journal, Irshaad Poetry, and are forthcoming in The Heritage Journal. You can find her on Instagram @angel.intransit.
Past Winners
Final Judge
Craig Santos Perez
At first, this poem grabbed my attention with its visual elements: two columns that end up connected in the final line. As I dived into the poem, I found the interplay between the two voices of the mother and daughter a perfect complement to the form. The author reveals the narrative through subtle allusions and, at the same time, striking imagery and figurative language. Re-reading the poem multiple times gave me an appreciation of the poem’s layers and musicality. This is a haunting and profound work!
Finalists
Fay Dillof
Julia B. Levine
Melissa McKinstry
