BAVINA SOOKDEO
On the final night of the 2025 Bocas Lit Fest (May 4), the stage at The National Academy for the Performing Arts transformed into a battleground of words, rhythm and truth as poets delivered their fiercest work under the theme Bring It Home at the First Citizens National Poetry Slam.
Thirty-year-old Shaquille Warren, a newcomer to the competition, walked onstage in a symbolic half-red, half-yellow boxing robe – and walked off as the new champion.
A first-time finalist from Aranguez, Warren made history in more ways than one. He is the first poet to win from the number one performance slot, only the fourth to claim the title on their debut. His performance, a powerful, untitled piece shaped by the noise of election seasons and the emotional fatigue of a divided nation, stunned both audience and judges.
“When my name was announced, I just felt a flood of emotions,” Warren recalled. “I saw memories from the first time I stepped on a stage in second year of primary school at El Socorro North Government. It was like my whole creative life flashed before my eyes.”
From that school stage to the national spotlight, Warren’s path has been anything but smooth. “I was diagnosed with two mental illnesses, I lost my job, I had to sell my car,” he revealed.
“It was a make-or-break moment. I promised God that if I won, I’d use every platform to talk about what he has done for me.”
Now holding the champion’s cheque of $50,000, Warren already has plans to pay it forward. “The first thing I’m doing is paying my tithes. Then, I’m pledging $5,000 or more to Caribbean Union College, my alma mater. I want to launch a spoken word competition there to nurture the next generation of talent.”
Warren’s poem, deeply personal, political and cultural, tackled the issue of division – among neighbours, co-workers, churches and communities during election time.
“I was sick of the fighting. That’s why I came out in that robe – half red, half yellow (representing the two major political parties). I had to speak on what’s tearing us apart.”
[caption id="attachment_1155373" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Shaquille Warren during his winning performance at the First Citizens National Poetry Slam. -[/caption]
Alette Liz Williams, marketing and media manager of the Bocas Lit Fest, was struck by Warren’s energy from the start. “From the outset, Shaquille came in with a boldness that was impossible to ignore,” she said.
“Before the Slam even happened, he was already speaking his win into existence and that kind of conviction is rare, especially for a newcomer. But it wasn’t just talk – he backed it up with performances that were meticulously crafted to hit every point on the rubric. He took calculated risks and delivered with the confidence of someone who knew exactly what he was there to do.”
She related that there’s a certain urgency in his voice that resonated, not just with the judges but with the audience too. “It’s the kind of raw, unapologetic storytelling that defines the Slam, and it’s what makes this pla
