Canadian poet and writer Anne Carson, whose work often blends verse, prose, dialog and translation in a genre-defying mix, won the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature on Thursday (October 8) for what the Swedish Academy called her "bold and inventive oeuvre."

In 2012, the University of Toronto awarded her an honorary degree. In her brief acceptance speech, she read from her book of poetry, "Short Talks", and included the audience in the reading. "Short Talks" was Carson's first collection of poems, published in 1992.

Carson, 76, who was born in Toronto and has a home in Iceland, had been taken by surprise when called with the news, said Ingrid Carlberg, permanent secretary of the Academy, which awards the prize worth 12 million Swedish crowns ($1.2 million).

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA (ARCHIVE - NOVEMBER 16, 2012) (CTV - Broadcast: No use Canada Digital: No use Canada)

1. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CANADIAN AUTHOR, ANNE CARSON, ACCEPTING HONORARY DEGREE FROM UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, SAYING:

"When the President phoned me to ask if I would be honored like this, I said 'Do I have to make a speech?' and he said 'Yes.' And I said 'What's the rules for the speech?' And he said, "Be brief but inspiring.' So, I thought about that, and I shortly gave up on inspiring. It's just not my personality type. But brevity I can do. Brevity, kind of my thing."

2. WHITE FLASH

3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CANADIAN AUTHOR, ANNE CARSON, READING FROM HER BOOK OF POETRY, "SHORT TALKS", SAYING:

"Short Talk on Gertrude Stein about 9:30 pm. How curious. I had no idea that today has ended."

4. WHITE FLASH

5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CANADIAN AUTHOR, ANNE CARSON, READING FROM HER BOOK OF POETRY, "SHORT TALKS", SAYING:

"Short Talk on Major and Minor. Major things are wind, evil, a good-fighting horse, prepositions, inexhaustible love, the way people choose their king. Minor things include dirt, the names of schools of philosophy, mood and not having a mood, the correct time."

6. WHITE FLASH

7. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CANADIAN AUTHOR, ANNE CARSON, READING FROM HER BOOK OF POETRY, "SHORT TALKS", SAYING:

"This one has a double chorus for you, Chorus A and Chorus B, so I'm going to divide the room into half. (SHE WALKS TO THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM AND MAKES A DIVIDING GESTURE). Chorus A, Chorus B. Chorus A, your line is 'Let's buy it!" with an exclamation mark at the end. Practice. (AUDIENCE SAYS: LET'S BUY IT!) Fine."

8. WHITE FLASH

9. (SOUNDBITE) (English) CANADIAN AUTHOR, ANNE CARSON, READING FROM HER BOOK OF POETRY, "SHORT TALKS", SAYING:

"Short Talk on the Sensation of Airplane Take-off. Well, you know, that could be true love running towards my life with its arms up yelling (AUDIENCE SAYS: LET'S BUY IT! WHAT A BARGAIN!) Thank you and good night."