The new Forward prize winner, Kei Miller, has spoken of the “strangely emotional” moment when he heard the news. In the afterglow of his Forward triumph on Tuesday night, the Jamaican-born poet told BBC Radio 4’s Front Row programme on Wednesday: “It meant something much bigger than the personal … it was the first time a writer of colour had ever won a prize like that. Too many conflicting things happened in my mind … why was I the first … there were so many people who should have been considered before.”

He added that he felt “the weight of that”, and that a lot of people had called him up that night, all saying how much it meant to them: “That’s very emotional.” 

In the interview he was asked about remarks he had previously made, that he had been ashamed at winning poetry slams. He replied: “It’s not an identity that I necessarily claim,” adding that he didn’t “set out to be a slam poet”.

He went on: “That’s something about race …  I could be in a certain kind of venue, and they would introduce me as Kei, the performance poet … and then you hear that I have a collection with Carcanet, and the reaction changes.”

Miller said that he was referring to a perception that “white poets read or give recitals, but black poets are performance poets … and, yes, I’m glad you think I read well, I’m glad you think my voice is melodic, but if that becomes a reason to dismiss it as not worthy, or as something that is just light entertainment, that is beautiful to listen to, but not something that’s being carefully written … I’m very particular about how I claim my place on the page.”