Jennifer Lee Tsai Launch Readings
'Powerful and distinct, Jennifer’s poems weave historical and personal trauma into a vivid, striking exploration of family, heritage, and personhood. Her work balances emotional depth, clarity, and sharp wit. At times meditative and lyrical, at others bold and incisive, Jennifer offers poetry that is both intimate and resonant.' – Romalyn Ante
Jennifer Lee Tsai’s first full-length poetry book Melete, published by Bloodaxe in May 2026, explores family history, intergenerational trauma, love, loss and belonging through the perspective of a second-generation British Chinese identity. Melete interweaves dual cultures and heritages through narratives of memory, migration and mysticism across Liverpool, China and Hong Kong.
Jennifer Lee Tsai is a poet, writer and artist. Born in Bebington on the Wirral, she grew up in Liverpool, where she still lives. She has published two pamphlets, Kismet (ignitionpress, 2019) and La Mystérique (Guillemot Press, 2022), with her first full-length poetry book, Melete, published by Bloodaxe in 2026. She is a fellow of The Complete Works, a Ledbury Poetry Critic, and a former Contributing Editor to Ambit. She has received a Northern Writers' Award for Poetry and is a winner of the Rebecca Swift Foundation’s Women Poets’ Prize. She has worked as a teacher of English to students in universities and colleges as well as within community settings. She is the recipient of an AHRC doctoral scholarship in Creative Writing at the University of Liverpool and an Artist in Residence at the Bluecoat’s studios through the Wittenham Bursary. Her poetry, essays and reviews have been published in publications including The Guardian, The Poetry Review, Poetry London, The Telegraph, The TLS and The White Review, as well as being broadcast on BBC Radio 4.
~~~~~
'Melete is the debut collection by the exceptional poet Jennifer Lee Tsai, a Northern Writers’ Award winner in 2020. Jennifer’s collection follows on from her absorbing and expansive two pamphlets, Kismet (ignitionpress) and La Mystérique (Guillemot). The poems in Melete reflect on Jennifer’s upbringing in Liverpool, migration, memory and family history.' – Will Mackie, New Writing North (New and Recent Poetry from the North, Spring 2026)
~~~~~
FORTHCOMING EVENTS
Wed 13 May 2026, 10pm
Cork International Poetry Festival: Shangyang Fang & Jennifer Lee Tsai
Cork Arts Theatre
Jennifer Lee Tsai’s first full-length poetry book Melete is published by Bloodaxe in May 2026. The collection explores family history, intergenerational trauma, love, loss and belonging through the perspective of a second-generation British Chinese identity. Jennifer will be reading in Cork alongside Shangyang Fang.
More details and booking here.
Tuesday 19 May, 7pm BST, online launch event
Joint online launch event for new May titles by Tishani Doshi, Patricia Smith and Jennifer Lee Tsai. All three poets will be celebrating the publication of their new books by reading live and discussing their work with each other and with the host, Bloodaxe editor Neil Astley.
This free Bloodaxe launch event will be streamed on YouTube Live on this YouTube page: https://youtube.com/live/4x0gzWrAClU
Watch live or later via YouTube.
Thurs 21 May, 7.30pm
Launch Reading at Topping & Co, St Andrews
Topping & Company Booksellers of St Andrews, 7 Greyfriars Garden, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9HG
Jennifer Lee Tsai will be reading from Melete on publication day.
Scholar, Early Bird and Book Voucher tickets are available.
Tickets: £14 / £8 / £5 - more details and booking here.
Wed 3 June, 6pm, Liverpool
Book Launch: Melete by Jennifer Lee Tsai
The Bluecoat, 8 School Lane, Liverpool, L1 3BX
Book launch of Melete, the debut poetry book by Bluecoat's Artist in Residence, Jennifer Lee Tsai, published by Bloodaxe Books in May 2026. Jennifer will be joined by fellow Bloodaxe poet and Costa Book of the Year Award 2021 winner Hannah Lowe.
The event will include readings from Jennifer and Hannah, followed by a conversation with arts curator and host Marie-Anne McQuay.
This event is presented in partnership with the Centre for New and International Writing, University of Liverpool.
Tickets: £2-£5 (£15 including book). A limited number of free tickets are available for those who are unwaged or experiencing financial hardship.
More details and booking here.
[23 March 2026]
