The Émile-Nelligan Prize, awarded each year to a poet aged 35 and under who has published a collection in French, was awarded this year to Sarah-Louise Pelletier-Morin. The jury rewarded him this Monday for The cut flower marketa first book “demanding which brings us back to the unpredictable rhythm of life”.
During an evening which took place at the Grande Bibliothèque, a scholarship of $7,500 and a medal bearing the image of the poet Émile Nelligan were awarded to Mme Pelletier-Morin. The latter is conducting doctoral studies and teaching literature at CEGEP.
The winner was able to “take up the challenge of rehabilitating poetry centered on flowers”, according to the president of the jury, Jonathan Charette. She achieves this by “composing a surprising bouquet that presents historical, social and intimate dimensions of botany,” he added.
Throughout the pages, Sarah-Louise Pelletier-Morin also weaves a story about mourning. “I have doubts about life after death, but I sometimes believe that you hear me when I speak to a tree,” writes the recipient of the Émile-Nelligan Prize.
The latter has been awarded since 1979 to an emerging poet in North America.
The work of the two other finalists praised
This year, two other finalists were selected by the jury, which was also made up of authors Nicole Brossard and Laurence Veilleux. Émilie Turmel and Névé Dumas, who respectively wrote Lullabies And degenerate poemtherefore each leave with a sum of $500.
The work of Mme Turmel, who addresses motherhood, exudes a “deep humanity”, said Mme Brossard, Mme Veilleux and Mr. Charette. “At a time when we are experiencing major social, political and climatic transformations, Lullabies is part of a tradition with confidence and benevolence that bets on believing in the future,” they underlined, regarding the writer’s third book.
For its part, Névé Dumas deals more with environmental upheavals and the ecoanxiety that results from them. She points the finger at past generations who advocated a “disastrous ecology”.
“Whistleblower, Dumas forces us to realize that reality will never be the same again. So, degenerate poem is certainly a book of revolt, but also of hope. Revolt against the colonial system, the disembowelment of the territory, capitalism. Hope that “friendship conspires with the territory”, mentioned the jury.
Last year, Nelly Desmarais won the Émile-Nelligan prize for her first collection, Walk in a whisper.