The poet and performer on his debut poetry collection, drawing on Caravaggio and the concept of ‘manorism’
Yomi Ṣode is a writer, performer and teacher, who was born in Nigeria and moved to London at the age of nine. He made his name on the spoken-word poetry circuit, on YouTube and at music festivals. His theatre debut, Coat– an autobiographical monologue centred on the preparation of a meal that he cooked on stage – had a sold-out run in 2017. His second theatre piece, and breathe…– a one-hander about death, mourning and young masculinity – was premiered at the Almeida theatre in 2021. Manorism, his first poetry collection, was shortlisted for the TS Eliot prize earlier this month.
What is the significance of the title, Manorism?
It’s one of two words in the collection that I’ve invented. I was raised on the Aylesbury estate in Southwark and went to a school where I returned later as a youth worker. I started to question why it was that, even now, I live in a constant state of high alert. If a car pulls up behind me, a survival instinct kicks in. But you’re also mindful of how you occupy space, because you don’t want other people to feel nervous either, so you’re constantly code-switching. This made me very interested in behavioural trends, especially as they pertain to black men. The argument I’m making is that there’s an innate manorism that comes from where you grew up – your manor – and goes with you wherever you travel. The other made-up word is aneephya: it’s the stress toxin of inherited trauma, which leads to fear, violence and sometimes death.
Manorism by Yomi Ṣode is published by Penguin (£12.99). To support the Guardian and Observer order your copy at guardianbookshop.com. Delivery charges may apply
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