Debut collection of Bona's Kelly wins prestigious poetry award
Dr. Donika Kelly, assistant professor of English at St. Bonaventure University, has won the $10,000 Kate Tufts Discovery Award for her debut collection of poetry, “Bestiary.” One of the most prestigious prizes in contemporary poetry, the award recognizes a first volume by a poet of promise. “Bestiary,” which was a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award in 2017, presents readers with a rich catalogue of legendary beasts and fantastic creatures that express familiar human struggles with identity, love, fear, and understanding even as they look back to the mythical past. The book was long-listed for the National Book Award in poetry in 2016, and was also named one of the New York Times’ best poetry books of the year. “Winning the Kate Tufts is such a tremendous and unexpected honor,” said Kelly. Kelly, who came to St. Bonaventure in the fall of 2016, teaches creative writing and 20th century American literature. Dr. David Hilmey, dean of the School of Arts and Sciences a...