Tishani Doshi's 'Egrets, While War' Nominated for 2026 PEN Heaney Prize

Tishani Doshi's poetry collection, *Egrets, While War*, has been shortlisted for the 2026 PEN Heaney Prize. Established in 2024, this award honors a single volume of poetry published in the UK or Ireland that exemplifies outstanding literary merit and engages with the cultural or political events affecting human conditions or relationships. The prize is open to both original English language collections and those translated into English.

The jury for this year includes poets Victoria Adukwei Bulley, Vona Groarke, and Stephen Sexton. They described Doshi’s work as containing "dextrous, vibrant and vital poems" that delight and shimmer, noting the vast range of subjects she explores. The collection intertwines ancient and modern themes, addressing personal and civic responsibility. The jury highlighted an "aviary of sonnets" that gracefully engage with birds from mythology and literature, set against the backdrop of both historical and contemporary wars, which provide context for the collection’s themes of resistance and humanity.

The winner of the PEN Heaney Prize will be announced on December 1. Other titles on the shortlist include:

- *Pain Songs* by Daniel Sluman (Nine Arches Press)

- *Dwelling* by Máighréad Medbh (Macha Press)

- *Mer de Glace* by Małgorzata Lebda, translated by Mira Rosenthal (Fitzcarraldo Editions)

- *plastic* by Matthew Rice (Fitzcarraldo Editions)

- *October* by Nur Turkmani (Hajar Press)

- *Egrets, While War* by Tishani Doshi (Bloodaxe Press)