Sihle Ntuli has been announced as the winner of the 2024-2025 Diann Blakely Poetry Competition for his poem, Shade or The Revelation of All Our Neighbourhood Has Lost.
Selected by the distinguished Diann Blakely Visiting Poet, Vivek Narayanan, the poem was praised for its evocative imagery and deep resonance with shared human experiences. Narayanan reflected on the winning entry, stating,
“‘Shade’ seamlessly moulds past, present, and the question of the future together in its lament and its vocabulary. The poem is unfailing and true not least because it uncynically mines the poetry embedded in language itself: the Zulu word isithunzi does indeed mean both shade and dignity.”
Ntuli’s response to receiving the award revealed a heartfelt moment of self-reflection. He shared:
“I had been doubting my own ability in the past year, so it shows that I am a step closer in being the writer that I believe I can be. I will cherish this prize as I still feel I have so much more to give to our wonderful genre.”
Born in 1990, Sihle Ntuli is a poet, classicist and editor from Durban, South Africa. Ntuli holds a Master of Arts degree in Classical Civilisations from Rhodes University in Makhanda. He has lectured at the University of the Free State and has had his poetry published in various esteemed journals, including The Rumpus, SAND Journal, Lolwe, and Transition Magazine. His chapbook, ‘Rumblin,’ was published by uHlanga Press in 2020.
The Diann Blakely Poetry Competition is an annual event dedicated to honoring the legacy of poet Diann Blakely by fostering and showcasing emerging voices. The competition runs every fall and is judged by the appointed Diann Blakely Visiting Poet. Winners receive a monetary prize and have their work archived on the competition’s website.
Click here to read Sihle Ntuli’s winning poem!
Congratulations to Sihle Ntuli on this outstanding achievement!
Bakare Oluwatobiloba
I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!
