John Agard

John Agard and Jan Lauwereyns read their poems to you this hour. The presentation is in the hands of Tsead Bruinja. 

John Agard is a nationally and internationally acclaimed poet, playwright, short story writer and performer who has become known and loved throughout his long career for his playful, witty storytelling style and charismatic performances. In 2021, he received the BookTrust Lifetime Achievement for his outstanding contribution to literature, and previously received the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry, the Smarties Book Prize, and many more. His poems were described by Maura Dooley as, "...direct and catchy, playful, full of surprising imagery, and as hilarious, passionate and erotic as they are political - and often all these things at once." He is a Fellow of The Royal Society of Literature and his work is part of the school curriculum for young people throughout England. John lives in East Sussex and travels to festivals around the world to recite his poetry, with humor, imagination and rousing wordplay. His latest poetry collection Border Zone has been widely acclaimed, and Follow that Word - a collection of 60 of his most beloved poems - has quickly become a "must on every bookshelf."

Photo: Sara Roque Peres