Gold from the Stone: New and Selected Poems

by Lemn Sissay

Lemn Sissay was seventeen when he wrote his first poetry book, which he hand-sold to the miners and millworkers of Wigan. Since then his poems have become landmarks, sculpted in granite and built from concrete, recorded on era-defining albums and declaimed in over thirty countries.He has performed to thousands of football fans at the FA Cup Final, to hundreds of thousands as the poet of the London Olympics, and to millions across our TV screens and the airwaves of BBC Radio. He has become one of the nation's best-loved voices.

Genres: Poetry

241 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 25, 2016

About the author

Lemn Sissay OBE (born 21 May 1967), is a British author and broadcaster.

Reviews

[Coral · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Let me get it right. What if we got it wrong?
What if we weakened ourselves getting strong?
What if we found in the ground a vial of proof?
What if the foundations missed a vital truth?

What if the industrial dream sold us out from within?
What if our impenetrable defence sealed us in?
What if our wanting more was making less?
And what if all of this... it wasn´t progress?"

[Mary Arkless · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never really noticed Lemn Sissay before. Perhaps that is because I'm not much into poetry, perhaps because I moved to the UK in 1999. I saw an interview with him on BBC Breakfast about his book, "My Name is Why". I read that and wanted to read more of his poetry, so borrowed this from the library.

I think there will be something here that would speak to any one. I noticed, though, while working my way through this book, that reading poetry makes me tired. Is that just me? Is it because poetry speaks to the emotions?

Here are the pieces that really spoke to me now:
Well 'I'
Mother
Immigration R.S.V.P.
What If
Elephant in the Room
Architecture
Fallen

Fallen is my very favourite.

[Harriet Mumford · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Mum got me this poetry collection for Christmas as I’ve been super keen to find more poetry that I enjoy. Lemn Sissay’s work is bold and personal, commenting on race, the government, social services, relationships and much, much more – it is filled with rage, humour, sadness and love.

After reading this collection I went on to watch countless YouTube videos of Lemn reading them – his performances breathed endless life into the words, so strong and powerful. My favourite from the collection was Invisible Kisses, it’s just breath-taking .

[Natalie Wakes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! Best poetry collection I've read so far.

In particular:
Fingerprints
Colourblind
Invisible Kisses
Immigration R.S.V.P
A Flock of Sound
Quiet Places
Let There Be Peace
The Actor's Voice
Patterns
Elephant in the Room
What If

I've probably missed some but I'm sure I will be rereading for the rest of my life, so will try to update.

[Katrine Solvaag · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many precious gems of poems which I can’t wait to re-read and fall in love with all over again.

[Madeleine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love u lemn ❤️

[Wissam · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5 stars, this book was amazing. There were poems that I read over and over again and there were poems that I didn’t feel a connection to. this book was written so good that I loved it sm.

[SallyandBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

My first time reading Sissay poetry and I'm not sure what I thought. I liked some of the poems but they didn't WOW me. I didn't feel a connection.

[BAM · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this collection and Sissay’s work. These poems seem best when read aloud.

—————————-

Guilt

Cold winds have frozen us,
Walls of fear closed on us.

The sky has fallen down on us,
And fear it has frowned on us.

The lightning has dumbfounded us,
A dust cloud surrounded us.

The rain it pours down on us,
Pain has been found on us.

Secrets they have bound us,
Anointed and then crowned us.

Whispers race around us,
Fingers point down on us.

Fists beat and pound on us,
Our reflections astound us.

Fear it compounds us,
Defences surround us.

Frustrations hound us,
Guilt has found us.

———————————-

Some Things I Like

I like wrecks, I like ex-junkies, I like flunks and ex-flunkies, I like the way the career-less career, I like flat beer,
I like people who tell half stories and forget the rest, I like people who make doodles in important written tests, I like being late. I like fate. I like the way teeth grate, I like laceless shoes, chordless blues, I like the one-bar blues,
I like buttonless coats and leaky boats, I like rubbish tips and bitten lips, I like yesterday's toast, I like cold tea, I like reality,
I like ashtrays, I write and like crap plays.

I like curtains that don't quite shut, I like bread knives that don't quite cut, I like rips in blue jeans,
I like people who can't say what they mean, I like spiders with no legs, pencils with no lead, Ants with no heads, worms that are half dead.
I like holes, I like coffee cold. I like creases in neat folds.
I like signs that just don't know where they're going, I like angry poems,
I like the way you can't pin down the sea.
See.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was way past time to read a volume of poetry by the man I voted for as Chancellor of my alma mater. He has an astonishing life history and I was pleased with the introduction to the book which describes this with some additional features I'd not previously known. One is thus well prepared for the anger to follow. He's a declamatory poet, a poet for carving lines in public buildings and incorporating into public art works. He describes criticism of his early works as like criticism of his family and in the context that seems quite reasonable to me.

I was not quite in the right mood for this and yet enough of it did speak to me.

[M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wanted to explore more of Lemn Sissay’s work after reading ‘My name is Why’ and I’m glad I did - this is a solid collection which I think I wouldn’t have appreciated as much if I hadn’t read his memoir.

Some that shone to me at the time of reading:
Well ‘I’
Fingerprints
Suitcases and Muddy Parks
Colour Blind
Invisible Kisses
Immigration R.S.V.P
Children’s Home
The Graduate and her Secret Thesis

I will note, I didn’t enjoy the more sing-songy poems and Sissay uses rhyme in a lot of his work!

[Arlene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this. Lemn Sissay has a great lyrical style - a lot of these poems kind of read like song lyrics. His writing is so heartfelt and passionate. A lot of his poems (especially the earlier ones) are full of anger (quite rightly) about his childhood and his experiences in the care system and of racism. He also writes about relationships (of course he does he's a poet), Manchester, climate change, and shooting magpies. A hugely enjoyable collection.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Each day I wake up to read one of his poems, like a splash of fresh water on my face. Some of them give me goosebumps, some of them make me cry, and some of them stir the anger in me for the battles he's had to fight. Each night I fall asleep with one of his poems on my pillow, the soft patter of words sending me to a world of dreams where the letters mingle into the patterns on pages of gold.

Beautiful.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard Lemn Sissay on Desert Island Discs, and his voice and personal journey made me curious about his poetry, and boy was I not disappointed.
Sissay is a worldly man and the scope of references to cultures, places and times added to the ranges of emotions from tenderness to rage ; one of his poems is bound to speak to you.

My favourites in this collection were:
Sleep is a Songbird
Mind-Walking
Fair
Brinkley Park
Fallen pop

[Sarah Hobbs]

After reading the Gold from the Stone by Lemn Sissay I believe that I have gotten to know this poet extremely well.

This is the first body of work I have read of Mr Sissay, ad I liked it - very much.

Click here for my full review...

[Fiona D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lemn has an ethereal gift for turning immeasurable pain into awe inspiring poetry. The human condition means we will all feel hurt, love, loss, rejection and we can all relate to Lemn's ability to fine tune these emotions and pour them into beautifully crafted poems. Words are powerful, Lemn's words can connect us all.

[Seamus Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunning and powerful collection from an extraordinary poet and human being. If you read just one poem, then rad "Children's home" and if you are not moved and challenged we cannot help you. But don't read only one poem, take you time, read them all, read them again and let your mind open.

[Stephen Samuel · Rating 2 out of 5]

I love his story and how he’s triumphed against all odds. The collection contains some really amazing poetry but to be honest I found it hard to connect with most poems and a lot of them didn’t really interest me.

[Deborah Lynch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Angry, calming, ageless, contemporary. There’s something for everyone in this collection. I didn’t love every poem but I suspect that rather like listening to a vinyl album some of the poems that didn’t instantly grab me will grow and become favourites. This is a keeper.

[Lori · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful collection of Lemon Sissays poetry. I even bought a second copy, so I could remove 'Love Poem' and frame it on my bedroom wall.

[Anthony Frobisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful and evocative. Lemn Sissay is a voice we should all listen to. The poems in this collection are thought provoking and astonishing in their construction. A superb collection.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It seems to me that around each corner, beneath each stone,
Are humans quietly looking for a place to cry on their own.”

... ‘kin ‘ell.

[Sagal Imaani · Rating 5 out of 5]

AMAZING BOOK LUV LEMN SISSAY THIS WHY HE IS DA GOAT

[Tutankhamun18 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like his early poems in the beginning section the best. Some are very beautiful.

[Pauline Sacré · Rating 4 out of 5]

i just really love lemn sissay and i loved seeing how his poetry has changed and strengthened over the years.

[Nupur Jindal · Rating 4 out of 5]

the middle ones are middling, but the rest, the rest is GOLD.

[shaz · Rating 5 out of 5]

probably the best collection of poetry i have ever read… wow. will have to come back and write a proper review for this.

[Suzanne Wise · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many amazing uplifting heartbreaking inspiring wonderful poems. Invisible Kisses probably my favorite.

[Lucy Cleere · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not usually a poetry reader but this collection might have swung me

[Karin Pettersson]

Man läser för lite poesi, dundersamling. Så legitimt förbannad