Ep19: Lemn Sissay MBE on the importance of kindness in a longlasting career

by Laura Kidd

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Thank you for visiting – I’m very pleased to share this conversation with Lemn Sissay MBE, recorded on 26th August 2020.

[Content warning: some friendly swears.]

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In this conversation, we discuss:

• the difference between poetry and song lyrics – is there one?
• how bad school experiences can ruin poetry for us normal people
• what not to write on your Tinder profile
• staying away from unproductive negativity – how to take better care of ourselves
• the importance of kindness in a longlasting career

Explore Lemn’s work:

• Listen to his Desert Island Discs appearance.
• Read “Invisible Kisses”.
• Listen to “21st Century Poem” by Leftfield, featuring Lemn Sissay.
• Read his memoir “My Name Is Why” and explore his poetry books.
  
  Find out more by visiting Lemn’s website and following him on Twitter.

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Google the name “Lemn Sissay” and all the returning hits will be about him because there is only one Lemn Sissay in the world. Lemn Sissay is a BAFTA nominated award winning writer, international poet, performer playwright, artist and broadcaster. He has read on stage throughout the world: from The Library of Congress in The United States to The University of Addis Ababa, from Singapore to Sri Lanka, Bangalore to Dubai, from Bali to Greenland AND Wigan library.

He was awarded an MBE for services to literature by The Queen of England. Along with Chimamanda Ngoze Adichie and Margaret Atwood he won a Pen Pinter Prize in 2019. He is Chancellor of The University of Manchester and an Honorary Doctor from The Universities of Huddersfield, Manchester, Kent and Brunei. He is Dr Dr Dr Dr Lemn Sissay. He was the first poet commissioned to write for the London Olympics and poet of the FA Cup.

Photo credit: Slater King.

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Have a lovely day xo

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