Samatar Elmi
Tutor Profile
About
Samatar Elmi is an award winning writer, musician and educator. His debut pamphlet, ‘Portrait of Colossus’ (flipped eye press, 2021), was selected as a PBS Pamphlet Choice. His stunning debut collection, ‘The Epic of Cader Idris’ (Bloomsbury, 2024), includes the 2021 Geoffrey Dearmer Prize winning poem. Poems have appeared widely including in Poetry, Prairie Schooner, Poetry Review, Poetry Wales, Magma, and Iota and anthologised in More Fiya, Filigree, After Plath, and The Echoing Gallery. Elmi is an Obsidian Fellow, flipped eye press associate poetry editor, and Scarf Magazine poetry editor.
Elmi has performed live in session for Janice Long (BBC Wales), at the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival, for the Poetry Society, at the Serpentine Gallery, Whitechapel Gallery and Rich Mix. He was highlighted as a ‘One To Watch’ at Latitude Festival 2021. Elmi "whose plangent lyrics disguise a sharp bite", was recently commended in the Guardian poetry roundup. He also appeared on BBC Radio 4's 'Warsan Shire on a Nation of Poets'. He releases music as Knomad Spock.
Samatar teaches a Neurodirvirgent creative processes course and workshop.
