Cover of Scientific Marvel: Poems by Chimwemwe Undi. It is mostly red. The corner of a yellow surface with a teal front panel peaks out from the right corner of the book. Two eggs are balanced on the corner, casting shadow.

Scientific Marvel: Poems

2024 Governor General's Literary Award for Poetry
2025 League of Canadian Poets Raymond Souster Award
A CBC Best Book of 2024

“Politically astute, rigorously loving, lyrically deft debut collection.” — Herizons 

“Undi’s is undeniably a poetry of place and is augmented through a deep understanding of context.” — Border Crossings Magazine

“Incisive and precise, tender and loving, these poems escort readers through questions of race and place, disappeared histories, immigration, gender and climate angst… A captivating debut, Scientific Marvel transforms through tough lessons and uplifts through lively language play — and, of course, love.” — Toronto Star

“Scientific Marvel is poetic anti-gravity. Poetry of the lightest touch for the heftiest matters…” — Canisia Lubrin, author of Code Noir

recent & selected work

A heavily pixelated photo of Chim against a glass background. She is Black, with long black braids, brown glasses and a t-shirt. She's smiling a bit.

Photo by Imalka Nilmalgoda.

performances & workshops

  • At Frye Festival (April 2025). Moncton, NB.

  • At SupaDupaFresh, curated by Mahogany L. Browne, Jive Poetic, Jon Sands, Rico Frederick & Adam Falkner (September 11, 2024). Brooklyn, NY, USA.

  • At the Victorious Voices Festival, a performance & a workshop (April 2024). Victoria, BC.

  • For One Night Only, an evening of poetry with Sabrina Benaim, Noah Arhm Choi, Sarah Kay & Jon Sands (September 22, 2023). Brooklyn, NY, USA.

  • “The Poetics of Climate Change”, a workshop, as part of the Winnipeg International Writers Festival’s Inside the Writer’s World: Writing Climate Change (May 6, 2023). Millennium Library, Winnipeg, MB.

  • At Sarah Kay & Phil Kaye Live in Vancouver, presented by Project VOICE (April 21, 2023). Canadian Memorial United Church, Vancouver, BC.

  • At The Live Mixtape, featuring Cadence Weapon, presented by Trinnipeg & Synonym Sound (April 15, 2023). ReMai Modern, Saskatoon, SK.

publications & exhibitions

  • “After ‘listing (v), 2013’” in Room Magazine 47.4 (2024). In print and online.

  • “The Work”, for hannah_g’s PLANET LOVE, at Galerie Buhler Gallery (September 8 to November 19, 2023).

  • “On the Imminent Destruction of Portage Place Mall”, in Canadian Literature 248 (2022). Print. (This poem was also longlisted for the 2020 CBC Poetry Prize).

  • “Translation of a Photo of Myself” for Jaimie Isaac’s Auntie Lens, in Born in Power at the Winnipeg Art Gallery (2021).

  • “Spring, or Spiral in 3 Parts”, for Patterns Collective’s Sanctuaries at Gallery 1C03 (2021). Online.

  • “Ekphrasis for Lift Tumblr” and two others in Border Crossings 155 (2020). Print.

  • 3 Poems after John K. Samson, in Prairie Fire Magazine 40:1 (2019). Print.

  • The Habitual Be, in Akashic Book’s New-Generation African Poets: A Chapbook Box Set (Nne), edited by Kwame Dawes and Chris Abani (2017). Print.