Daina Sirmā

person

Biography

Daina Sirmā (née Daina Luste) is a Latvian poet. Sirmā studied at the Dikļi Secondary School, then Valmiera State Gymnasium, and went on to study philology at the University of Latvia. She teaches literature at the Valmiera State Gymnasium. Her first publication was a set of poems in the Liesma magazine in 1977, published as Daina Luste. In 2011, Sirmā attended the Literary Academy led by Ronalds Briedis, where she produced a new cycle of poems, laying the groundwork for her debut book of poems Kailsals/Blackfrost. In 2012, it was published and received great reviews, as well as the Annual Latvian Literary Award for the best debut. 2014 saw the publishing of Daina Sirmā's second book Iekšpagalms/The Backyard which was also critically acclaimed. Critic Anda Baklāne has emphasized the poet's unique ability to depict the drama of Latvian history in original ways. The Backyard received the Latvju Teksti award in the nomination Best Collection. In 2017, Sirmā's third book of poems Dievaines [The Days of the Spirits] was published and it received the Annual Latvian Literary Award as well as the Ojārs Vācietis Award in 2018.

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