The Perseverance by Raymond Antrobus, published by Penned in the Margins, is one of the year’s most highly anticipated debuts. His poems range across history and continents, operating in the spaces in between and creating new, hybrid territories. Kaveh Akbar says, ‘it’s magic, the way this poet is able to bring together so much—deafness, race, masculinity, a mother’s dementia, a father’s demise—with such dexterity.’ Raymond Antrobus has had multiple residencies in deaf and hearing schools around London, as well as Pupil Referral Units. As Malika Booker says, ‘These are courageous autobiographical poems of praise, difficulties, testimony and love.’
Raymond Antrobus was born in Hackney, London to an English mother and Jamaican father. He is the recipient of fellowships from Cave Canem, Complete Works III and Jerwood Compton Poetry. He is one of the world’s first recipients of an MA in Spoken Word Education from Goldsmiths, University of London. Raymond is a founding member of Chill Pill and the Keats House Poets Forum. He has had multiple residencies in deaf and hearing schools around London, as well as Pupil Referral Units. In 2018 he was awarded the Geoffrey Dearmer Award by the Poetry Society (judged by Ocean Vuong). Raymond currently lives in London and spends most his time working nationally and internationally as a freelance poet and teacher.