Ben Okri presents Rise Like Lions

An inspiring evening of political poetry with guest readers

‘Rise like Lions after slumber 
In unvanquishable number, 
Shake your chains to earth like dew 
Which in sleep had fallen on you - 
Ye are many - they are few.’ 
Shelley

Ben Okri presents Rise Like Lions: Poetry for the Many, a new collection for which he has selected 100 poems from around the world that celebrate (in the broadest sense) the many voices of politics, from polemics to meditations, from Shakespeare to Bob Marley.. 

He talks to writer, journalist and broadcaster Anita Sethi about the fascinating process of selecting these powerful pieces, while special guests read some of the best.

The event is followed by Late at the Library: Superjam! 50 Years of Radical Voices featuring New York’s The Last Poets, celebrating their 50^th anniversary, British performance poet Michael Horovitz, special guest musicians Damon Albarn and Graham Coxon, plus Joelle Taylor, Salena Godden, Zena Edwards and DJ Don Letts.

A limited number of combined tickets for both parts are available, or tickets may be purchased separately.

Ben Okri is a poet and novelist and has published many books including The Famished Road which won the Booker Prize, and The Age of Magic. He has written several poetry collections, including An African Elegy, Mental Flight and Wild.. His work has been translated into 27 languages and won numerous international prizes. Born in Nigeria, he lives in London.

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