Luther College alumna named 2019 Yale Younger Poet

Luther College alumna Jill Osier '96 received the 2019 Yale Series of Younger Poets prize for her manuscript "The Solace Is Not the Lullaby." It will be published by Yale University Press in April 2020. The Yale Series of Younger Poets prize is the oldest annual literary award in the United States.

"The Yale Younger Poets Award is one of the most prestigious and important literary awards in the nation," said Lise Kildegaard, professor of English at Luther College. "It's a match for the Pulitzer or the Booker prize." 

Osier's piece, "The Solace Is Not the Lullaby" is a collection of poems that center on the human and natural world. 

"She has a very intense lyrical voice, it's very connected to real things in the real world, and yet her poems take you to a place that is kind of luminous and otherworldly," said Kildegaard.

Osier, who now lives in Fairbanks, Alaska, graduated with a degree in English from Luther and is a testament to the value of a liberal arts education.

"She gives us an idea of the range of things our students do in the world. We have people like her, and we have people who are doing journalism and medical professions. The range of the accomplishments our English majors achieve is truly impressive," said Kildegaard.

Osier has also authored the chapbooks "Bedful of Nebraskas," "Should Our Undoing Come Down Upon Us White" and "from."

Luther College is home to more than 1,900 undergraduates who explore big questions and take action to benefit people, communities and society. Our 60+ academic programs, experiential approach to learning and welcoming community inspire students to learn actively, live purposefully and lead courageously for a lifetime of impact. Learn more at luther.edu.