Allie Esiri for Sleep

‘This book will bring a little magic into your day and into your heart’ Helena Bonham Carter

We're delighted to be hosting award-winning poet Allie Esiri and guest speakers to read from her beautiful new collection of around ninety poems on the topic of sleep (or lack of it). A meditative companion for every hour of the night, Sleep offers solace, empathy and a dash of humour. If you are awake at 3am, this is the book for you.

Arranged in three sections - Sleep; Insomnia (or Psst, Are You Awake); and Dawn - the anthology moves through the night, pairing poems from a range of celebrated authors with an illuminating introduction that provides thoughtful context, gentle reflections and companionship for the quiet hours.

Featuring works from Margaret Atwood, Bashoe, Wendy Cope, Rita Dove, Philip Larkin, Mary Oliver, Sylvia Plath, Rumi and Lemn Sissay - this is the perfect evening of poetry to bring Autumn to a close.

Allie Esiri is an award-winning curator, described by The Sunday Times as a ‘poetry powerhouse’. Her anthology A Poem for Every Day of the Year was in the best books of the year list in The Times and the Observer. Her anthology, A Poem for Every Night of the Year was a best book of the year in The Times and the New Statesman and won the IBW book award.

She hosts an annual poetry show at the National Theatre and regular events at major festivals including Hay, Cheltenham and Edinburgh.