Ms. SHENG Xue has been awarded as the first recipient of Crow Poetry Awards by the North American Crow Poetry Society with $1000 US dollars on November 28, 2016. 

North American Crow Poetry Society was established on January 16, 2015 and was the successor to the On the Sea Poetry Society founded in the 1980s by a group of young and critical-minded poets in Shanghai. When the tumultuous political changes in China compelled them to scatter, the group remained inactive for some years.  Subsequently, some of its members now living in North America decided to revive the group and renamed it the North American Crow Poetry Society.

Mr. JIANG Nan, president of the organization who traveled from Denver, Colorado, U.S.A. to Mississauga in Ontario, Canada to present the award, explained that the adoption of the word “crow” was because it is a species of birds in the natural world with a strong will to survive and not afraid of facing death, a sense of gratitude, and an independent spirit. The hope was that since poets are also seekers of freedom and lovers of truth; unafraid of persecution and grateful to those who show them kindness. Poets also should have courage to resist the grace of tyranny and would maintain their spirit in spite of their lonely struggles.

The decision to award the first poetry prize to Ms. SHENG was based on her long writing career.  Since the 1980s, she has adopted a variety of styles in her poetry work, focusing on many topics and displaying spirits both critical and humane. In response to the various major events and the sufferings of vulnerable segments of society, her writings are particularly poignant and moving.

On behalf of the North American Crow Poetry Society, Mr. JIANG expressed its sincere wish that Ms. SHENG will continue her creative writing for her avid readers.

The Society will presents to a winning poet the Crow Poetry Awards annually.     

The Society is currently working on a collection of poems titled “The Lonely Hundred”, to be published in June, 2017.