National Poetry Month Celebration: Julie Morrissy
Our National Poetry Month Celebration continues with Irish poet Julie Morrissy.
Where, the Mile End, Morrissy’s debut collection, embodies an energetic lyricism that whips through Europe and North America with humour, curiosity and a distinct edginess. Morrissy’s lines track emotional, physical, and geographical change, as she intimately links the vitality of two continents: the snow, the streets, the sensual memories. Where, the Mile End reimagines the places we inhabit, the moments we remember, the things we long for.
John McAuliffe of the Irish Times writes that “the most surprising and enjoyable aspect of [Morrissy’s] work is the deliberateness with which she stakes out a poetics of her own, with a mobile intelligence and wit which is not just a reaction to other voices.” India Harris recently reviewed the collection for the Poetry Ireland Review, writing, “In an impressive first collection, what strikes me most about Julie Morrissy is how few writers she reminds me of: in her weaving of Irish and American poetic traditions, she has found a singular voice and style.”
Today, we have a double treat for you. In the following video, Julie reads the poem “The Mile End,” in English. Follow along with the text below.
As an added bonus, Morrissy also reads “Le Mile End,” Gilles Latour’s French translation of the poem. Latour translated “The Mile End” for VERSeFEST, which has, unfortunately, been postponed; however, in the meantime, we hope you enjoy the following video of Julie reading the poem en français.
(Remember to follow along all month as we celebrate our poets by sharing a poem each day on the Book*hug blog. Follow us as well on Facebook and Twitter and Instagram.)
Julie Morrissy is an Irish poet, critic, and activist. She has spent time living in Canada and the U.S. Her debut poetry pamphlet I Am Where (Eyewear, 2015) was shortlisted for Best Poetry Pamphlet in the 2016 Saboteur Awards. Also in 2016, she was selected as a “Rising Generation” poet by Vona Groarke, editor of Poetry Ireland Review. In 2015, she was shortlisted for the Melita Hume Poetry Prize 2015, and selected for the Poetry Ireland Introductions Series. Her creative and critical work has been published widely in Ireland, the U.K., Canada and the U.S., including in gorse, Cyphers, The Stinging Fly, Poetry Ireland Review, ASAP/ Journal, and White Wall Review. Where, the Mile End is her first book. Morrissy currently lives in her hometown of Dublin, Ireland.
