Zain Rishi is a writer and bookseller from Birmingham. He writes about the relationship between language and the body. He won the 27th annual Ware Poets Competition, was placed third in the 2024 Oxford Poetry Prize and was shortlisted for the Poetry Wales Award 2024-25. His work has appeared in Magma, Wildness, New Writing Scotland, Gutter, Propel and various anthologies. His debut pamphlet, Noon, is forthcoming with The Emma Press in February 2026 and we’re looking forward to celebrating it when he comes to Ware. 

Two brothers wrestle, a bird lies in a young boy’s hand, an entire field lives within the eye of a needle.

"Noon is a sparkling debut from British-Pakistani poet Zain Rishi, exploring home, family and faith. From the heat of the school relay and his great-grandmother’s Kashmiri chai to the images of a young man kissing a boy and a city goodbye, these poems chart a coming-of-age journey across place, sexuality and family ties. Rich in its interrogation of language and inheritance across generations, Noon announces Zain Rishi as one of the UK’s most exciting new voices.”

Photo of Zain by Christa Holka Photography.

Tickets can be bought in advance [link tbc] or on the door:

Entry prices: £5; £3 for students under 24; Free to ages 18 and under.