ABOUT ME
Making work about who we are, where we belong and what we might become.
Desree (she/they) is a London and Slough-based award-winning poet, facilitator, and multidisciplinary theatre-maker. Known for her powerful storytelling and advocacy through the arts, she has performed at major venues including Glastonbury Festival, Bowery Poetry Club in New York, and the Royal Albert Hall. As Poet in Residence for Glastonbury 2022 and EMPOWORD Slough, Desree explored the power of poetry in large cultural spaces.
Her debut poetry collection, Altar (2025, Bad Betty Press), was shortlisted for the Forward Poetry Prize for Best First Collection. The work interrogates sacrifice and its intersections with Black British identity, belonging, and resilience, challenging narratives of heroism.
Desree’s theatre work includes co-writing the award-winning spoken word play CROWDED, directing productions such as No Photos and Made In Slough, and working as a dramaturg to support new writing and performance development. Her producing credits include Slough’s EPF Poetry Fest, Give or Take, Ensemble Outdoor Festival, alongside curating anthologies such as Words On Windrush and Poetry In The Pandemic.
A TEDx speaker and seen on The Life and Rhymes of Benjamin Zephaniah, Desree has collaborated with organisations including the National Literacy Trust, Cambridge Junction and Apples & Snakes, continuing to foster creativity and community engagement across the arts.
"Desree is a much-needed voice in poetry. The tenderness of her writing combined with the strength of her performance makes you want to go back and read her poems over and over again."
harry baker