The Triumph of Verse: Bhanu Kapil Wins TS Eliot Prize with ‘How to Wash a Heart’
Bhanu Kapil emerges victorious, clinching the esteemed TS Eliot poetry prize for her daring work, “How to Wash a Heart.”
Esteemed judges hail the British-Indian poet’s collection as “formidable,” delving into the intricate dynamics between an immigrant and her white, middle-class host.
Kapil’s immigrant protagonist confronts her liberal host, delving into the exhaustion of perpetual guesthood: “It’s exhausting to be a guest / In somebody else’s house / Forever.” Her work triumphed over submissions by poets such as JO Morgan and Natalie Diaz, securing the £25,000 prize. Past recipients of this prestigious award include Ted Hughes, Carol Ann Duffy, and Seamus Heaney.
Chair of judges, poet Lavinia Greenlaw, lauded “How to Wash a Heart” unanimously selected by the panel, including poets Mona Arshi and Andrew McMillan.
“It’s formidable,” remarked Greenlaw. “It delves into extraordinary, discomforting dynamics, offering an invigorating and challenging read. These figures serve as emblems, addressing universal tensions within what may seem like acts of generosity, yet are far more complex to those on the receiving end.”
“As your guest, I trained myself / To beautify / Our collective trauma,” Kapil pens. And later: “I understood that you were a wolf / Capable of devouring / My internal organs / If I exposed them to view.”
Kapil drew inspiration from a newspaper photograph depicting a California couple welcoming a guest with uncertain visa status. Reflecting on the image, she remarked on the tension evident in the hosts’ facial muscles, leading her to fictionalize a narrative of hospitality at odds with reality.
“The voice Kapil has crafted,” noted Greenlaw, “melds vulnerability, rage, humor, and desire, offering profound insights into their own and others’ nature.”
“This work exemplifies poetry’s ability to confront uncomfortable truths,” continued Greenlaw. “One judge remarked, ‘Every time you start it, you have to finish it.’ It’s truly incomparable.”
“How to Wash a Heart” marks Kapil’s debut full-length collection in the UK, published by Liverpool University Press’s Pavilion imprint. Although she has been published in the US for two decades, this marks her UK debut. Born in England to Indian parents, Kapil was raised in London and currently divides her time between the UK and the US.
Last year, Kapil was among the recipients of the Windham Campbell prize, receiving $165,000 to support her writing endeavors. Reflecting on the win, Kapil, previously unpublished in poetry, expressed gratitude amidst the challenges of caring for her elderly mother during the pandemic.