Ghanaian-American poet, artist, and scholar Afua Ansong has been awarded second prize at the 2024 Oxford Poetry Prize for her compelling poem, “Parasite”.
Selected by renowned poet and judge Rachel Long, Ansong’s “Parasite” stood out among submissions from across the globe, earning her recognition alongside first-prize winner AV Bridgwood for “Clean Your Plate” and third-prize recipient Zain Rishi for “Ingland”. The highly commended work “Heart Attack” by Conan Tan was also acknowledged in this year’s contest.
Raised between Accra, Ghana, and the Bronx, New York, Ansong’s poetry reflects a unique blend of cultures, offering readers deeply personal and universal insights. Her artistic versatility spans poetry, visual art, and traditional West African dance, contributing to her reputation as a multidisciplinary creative force.
Ansong’s poetry has been featured in prominent literary journals like Prairie Schooner, Frontier, and Newfound. Her chapbooks include Black Ballad and American Mercy, where she tackles questions of belonging, memory, and diaspora. In addition to her writing, Ansong is a dedicated educator and dancer, teaching both contemporary and traditional West African dance. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing and has served as a postdoctoral fellow at Mount Holyoke College. Her academic pursuits focus on 20th-21st Century Afro-Diaspora Literature, and she has taught courses such as “Writing to Inform and Explain” at the University of Rhode Island.
Her winning poem, “Parasite” will be published in issue 98 of Oxford Poetry alongside others.
Congratulations Afua Ansong on this deserved win!
Bakare Oluwatobiloba
I write to educate, motivate and define history with literature. Just being me!
