Spell World Backwards by Bren Simmers

P.E.I. writer Bren Simmers has won the 2022 CBC Poetry Prize forSpell World Backwards.

She will receive $6,000 from theCanada Council for the Arts, attend a two-week writing residency at theBanff Centre for the Arts and Creativityandher work has been published onCBC Books.

LISTEN | Bren Simmers on winning the 2022 CBC Poetry Prize:

• How Bren Simmers wrote the poems that won the 2022 CBC PoetryPrize

Simmers is the author of four books, including the wilderness memoir Pivot Pointand Hastings-Sunrise,which was a finalist for the Vancouver Book Award. Her most recent collection of poetry is If, When.Shewas previously longlisted for the CBCPoetry Prize in 2013 for I Blame MASH For My Addiction To MLS and in 2012 for Science Lessons.

Spell World Backwards was inspired by Simmers'mother's experience with Alzheimer's, she told CBC Books.

LISTEN |Bren Simmers' interview on On The Coastwith Gloria Macarenko

CBC Books10:58CBC Poetry Prize winner Bren Simmers on As It Happens

The 2022 CBC Poetry Prize winner readers her winning collection Spell World Backwards and discusses her writing.

My mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2017. As I started writing about her deterioration, I became interested in how language is affected by the disease.- Bren Simmers

"My mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 2017. As I started writing about her deterioration, I became interested in how language is affected by the disease," she said.

"In this series, I try to mimic some of the looping, nonsense wordsand holes in her speech. As she progresses into late-stage Alzheimer's, it has become increasingly difficult to communicate with her, outside of touch. She still loves to dance though!"

LISTEN|Bren Simmers' interview on Mainstreet PEIwith Matt Rainnie

You can read Spell World Backwardsbelow.

Read the other finalists

• From the Mouthby Rachel Lachmansingh (Toronto)
• To the Astronaut Who Hopes Life on Another Planet Will Be More Bearableby Brad Aaron Modlin (Guelph, Ont.)
• Mouth Prayersby Luka Poljak(Vancouver)
• Grief whiteby Kerry Ryan (Winnipeg)

LISTEN | Bren Simmers' interview on As It Happens:

About the 2022CBC PoetryPrize

The winner of the 2022CBC PoetryPrizewill receive $6,000 from theCanada Council for the Arts, have their work published onCBC Booksand attend a two-week writing residency at theBanff Centre for the Arts and Creativity. Four finalists will each receive $1,000 from theCanada Council for the Artsand have their work published onCBC Books.

The 2023CBC Nonfiction Prizewill open in January. The 2023CBC Poetry Prizewill open in April.