Our congratulations to Lemn Sissay, poet and Southbank Centre Artist in Residence on his MBE announced this month in the New Year’s Honours List. Lemn discusses some of the issues surrounding his acceptance over on his blog.
Nor am I not accepting a Member of The British Empire “on behalf of the community” nor “on behalf of others like me.” I am definitely not accepting it “because my mum wants to go to the palace”. It feels disingenuous or discourteous, possibly even deceitful, to accept an award then say you’re accepting it on behalf of others when in fact it is given to you. The MBE is offered for “services to literature.”
For those who haven’t yet had the priviledge of hearing Lemn Sissay read his poetry here’s a short film made by another Southbank Centre Artist in Residence, David Dunkley Gyimah, capturing Lemn in full flow at National Poetry Day Live at Royal Festival Hall back in October.
Filed under: Global Poetry System
