Olympic poet reads new work at Lincoln Book Festival
Lincoln Book Festival 2025 begins on National Poetry Day (Thursday, October 2), launching a four-day celebration of the written word with a headline event from one of Britain’s most celebrated poets.
Lemn Sissay, award-winning writer, performer and broadcaster, will headline the opening day of the festival, reading from his new poetry collection, Let The Light Pour In.
Known for his powerful delivery and deeply personal work, his appearance promises to be a moving and memorable highlight.
Her grew up in the care system in Lancashire, first in with a deeply religious foster family, which placed him in a children’s home aged 12. When he aged out of the care system he searched for his biological mother, finally meeting her when he was 21.
Lemn’s latest collection continues his exploration of hope, identity and resilience, offering audiences a chance to hear fresh work from one of the UK’s most distinctive literary voices.
Sissay released his first book of poetry in 1988 at the age of 21, and since the age of 24 he has been a full-time writer, performing internationally. In 1995, he made the BBC documentary Internal Flight about his life.
His 2005 drama Something Dark deals with his search for his family, and was adapted for BBC Radio 3 in 2006, winning the UK Commission for Racial Equality's Race in the Media Award (RIMA).
The Booker Prize judge and official poet of the 2012 Olympics was awarded an OBE for services to literature and charity in 2021 – the same year he appeared on BBC’s Have I got News For You.
Lemn Sissay, Let The Light Pour In is at Lincoln Arts Centre on Thursday, October 2, at 8pm Tickets priced ÂŁ20 are available at lincolnbookfestival.org.
See tomorrow’s Hello Lincoln for more festival news.
Picture: Ivan Weiss