Featured Poets for ISSUE-XII March 2011
Ariadne Sawyer(The Enchanting Poet)
Ariadne is a creative consultant Peak Performance Trainer and neurotherapist, specializing in Neuroscience.
Ariadne was the winner of the MacLean Hunter award for programs of excellence: The Brain Bulletin Series, 7 CD’s which have played on radio stations across Canada. She is also an author of three books, speaker, reporter and poetry judge.
Ariadne is the co-host and co-founder of World Poetry,reporter, event creator, organizer and radio show co-host host and co-producer of The World Poetry Café CFRO 102.7 FM. She is currently working on her first novel: Journey of Love and Agony and a book of dream poems called Love Poems to the World.
Ariadne was the winner of the MacLean Hunter award for programs of excellence: The Brain Bulletin Series, 7 CD’s which have played on radio stations across Canada. She is also an author of three books, speaker, reporter and poetry judge.
Ariadne is the co-host and co-founder of World Poetry,reporter, event creator, organizer and radio show co-host host and co-producer of The World Poetry Café CFRO 102.7 FM. She is currently working on her first novel: Journey of Love and Agony and a book of dream poems called Love Poems to the World.
Zayra Yves(Editor's Choice-I)
Zayra's creative writing is published in numerous print journals, anthologies, on-line e-zines and magazines: The Zimbabwe Situation, Panhandler Quarterly, Voices for Africa, Eyes of the Poet, Kreativ, Reflections IIT Madras (India), Edge Life Magazine, Poetry Life & Times, Astropoetica, Alehouse Press, 34th Parallel, Feeling is First and in the Memoir (and). She has appeared as a featured artist and/or guest speaker at: New Sun Celebration; CIIS California Institute of Integral Studies; on Ken Wilber's Integral Naked (2006 & 2007);OneMindVillage; West Marin Community Radio; SW Radio Africa; North Western University Chicago; Zimvibes; Coolfire (UK); Women's Radio Network; Perfectly Said; Mazungue Studio One; TWiN (UK); Genpo Roshi and Bill Harris' Big Heart/Big Mind seminiar in LA; UltraFeel TV; UniVerse of Poetry; BlogTalk Radio and the Awareness Network.
Her short story "Exit Ashes, Exit Blues, Exit This Life" won an honorable mention in Francis Ford Coppola's Zoetrope All Story contest. Zayra's fine art collection has appeared from 1998 to present at the following California locations: Dore Dore Gallery, San Mateo; Somar Gallery, San Francisco; UC Berkeley, San Francisco Campus; Body Harmony, San Francisco; Dana Street Cafe, Mountain View; Cafe Libro, Mountain View; Maitri Art Show & Auction, Embarcadero Center; Cad's Coffee Shop, Los Osos; One World Cafe, San Francisco; The Hive Gallery, Los Angeles.
Michael Sullivan(Editor's Choice-II)
Born a British subject of an English mother and Irish catholic father in the late January of ’53; ‘Sullivan’ spent his early years with his family in the Far East. Returning with his parents to England in the late fifties where he was subsequently educated.
Thereafter pursuing what could perhaps be best described as a broadly colourful career; with callings as diverse as gun dealer and consultant, freelance journalist, magazine editor, commercial photographer, publican, fleet limousine operator, lecturer and an unpaid ‘Special Needs’ tutor: To name but a few - even a brief spell under the flag enjoying the Queen’s shilling!
Throughout which the only truly common thread has been his writing, an enduring passion never completely abandoned; Fuelled by his lifelong fascination with not only the beauty of the English language and its literature in general, but the richness and diversity of its poetry in particular. A fascination well illustrated in the almost perverse multiplicity of styles and subject matter contained within this slim volume and others.
Thereafter pursuing what could perhaps be best described as a broadly colourful career; with callings as diverse as gun dealer and consultant, freelance journalist, magazine editor, commercial photographer, publican, fleet limousine operator, lecturer and an unpaid ‘Special Needs’ tutor: To name but a few - even a brief spell under the flag enjoying the Queen’s shilling!
Throughout which the only truly common thread has been his writing, an enduring passion never completely abandoned; Fuelled by his lifelong fascination with not only the beauty of the English language and its literature in general, but the richness and diversity of its poetry in particular. A fascination well illustrated in the almost perverse multiplicity of styles and subject matter contained within this slim volume and others.
Featured Poets for ISSUE-XIII June 2011
Mateja Matevski(The Enchanting Poet)
Mateja Matevski (b. 1929 in Istanbul) is a renowned Macedonian poet, literary and theatre critic, essayist and translator. He graduated from the Faculty of Philology in Skopje and worked as a journalist for Macedonian Radio and Television as editor of the cultural and literary programme; He also served as the editor-in-chief and director of the Television as well as Director General of Radio Television Skopje. He also held the function of President of the Commission for Cultural Relations Abroad and was a member of the Presidency of Macedonia. He was an editor for the Kočo Racin publishing house and a Professor of History of World Drama and a professor at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Skopje. Mr. Matevski was editor of the literary journals Mlada literatura and Razgledi and was One-time president of the Macedonian Writers’ Association, president of the Council of the Struga Poetry Evenings Festival, the Racinovi sredbi Festival and Macedonian Literary Foundation. He is a member of the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts, and honorary vice-president of the Macedonian P.E.N. Centre and a member of the Macedonian Writers’ Association since 1956. He was a corresponding member of the North-American Academy in the Spanish language.
Published books: Rains (poetry, 1956), The Equinox (poetry, 1963), Irises (poetry, 1976), The Circle (poetry, 1977), Lime Tree (poetry, 1980), The Birth of Tragedy (poetry, 1985), From Tradition to the Future (criticism and essays, 1987), Drama and Theatre (theatre criticism and essays, 1987), Moving Away (poetry, 1990), Black Tower (poetry, 1992), Carry Away (poetry, 1996), The Light of the Word (criticism and essays), The Dead One (poetry, 1999), Inner Area (poetry, 2000), Beyond Oblivion (poetry, 2003), Landscapes Under Water (poetry, 2006), Voice Under Ramparts (poetry, 2008) etc.
Awards: "Golden Wreath" - main and prestigious international award given by the Struga Poetry Evenings Festival to a world renowned living poet for life achievement in the field of poetry, "Miladinov Brothers" - given for best Macedonian book of poetry published between two editions of the Struga Poetry Evenings Festival, "St. Kliment Ohridski" - highest state recognition for long-term achievements, "11th October"- highest national award for life achievement, "Grigor Prličev", "Kočo Racin", Book of the year - Macedonian literary foundation, The great award "Makedonsko slovo", "Kiril Pejčinović", "Goranov Venec" (Croatia), "Blez Sandrar" (Switzerland), "Premio Mediterraneo" - Special Award (Italy), "Fernando Rielo" - World Award for Mystical Poetry - for the book The Black Tower (Spain), "Župančićeva listina", Slovenian Writers’ Association (Slovenia), "Atlantida" (Spain), "Michael Madhusudan" (India). Holder of the French Legion of Honour, Arts and Literature.
Thirty books of his poetry have been published in twenty foreign languages. He has published over forty books of translations from Spanish, French, Slovenian, Russian, Albanian and Serbian.
Published books: Rains (poetry, 1956), The Equinox (poetry, 1963), Irises (poetry, 1976), The Circle (poetry, 1977), Lime Tree (poetry, 1980), The Birth of Tragedy (poetry, 1985), From Tradition to the Future (criticism and essays, 1987), Drama and Theatre (theatre criticism and essays, 1987), Moving Away (poetry, 1990), Black Tower (poetry, 1992), Carry Away (poetry, 1996), The Light of the Word (criticism and essays), The Dead One (poetry, 1999), Inner Area (poetry, 2000), Beyond Oblivion (poetry, 2003), Landscapes Under Water (poetry, 2006), Voice Under Ramparts (poetry, 2008) etc.
Awards: "Golden Wreath" - main and prestigious international award given by the Struga Poetry Evenings Festival to a world renowned living poet for life achievement in the field of poetry, "Miladinov Brothers" - given for best Macedonian book of poetry published between two editions of the Struga Poetry Evenings Festival, "St. Kliment Ohridski" - highest state recognition for long-term achievements, "11th October"- highest national award for life achievement, "Grigor Prličev", "Kočo Racin", Book of the year - Macedonian literary foundation, The great award "Makedonsko slovo", "Kiril Pejčinović", "Goranov Venec" (Croatia), "Blez Sandrar" (Switzerland), "Premio Mediterraneo" - Special Award (Italy), "Fernando Rielo" - World Award for Mystical Poetry - for the book The Black Tower (Spain), "Župančićeva listina", Slovenian Writers’ Association (Slovenia), "Atlantida" (Spain), "Michael Madhusudan" (India). Holder of the French Legion of Honour, Arts and Literature.
Thirty books of his poetry have been published in twenty foreign languages. He has published over forty books of translations from Spanish, French, Slovenian, Russian, Albanian and Serbian.
Nathalie Handal(Editor's Choice)
Nathalie Handal is an award-winning poet, playwright, and editor. She has lived in Europe, the United States, the Caribbean, Latin America and the Arab world. She has read her poetry worldwide, has been featured onPBS The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, NPR Radio as well as The New York Times, The San Francisco Chronicle, Reuters, Mail & Guardian, The Jordan Times and Il Piccolo; andher work has been translated into more than fifteen languages.Her most recent books include the landmark anthology, Language for a New Century: Contemporary Poetry from the Middle East, Asia & Beyond and the poetry collections Love and Strange Horses, winner of the 2011 Gold Metal Independent Publisher Book Award (IPPY Award), and an Honorable Mention at the San Francisco Book Festival and the New England Book Festival. The New York Times says it is “a book that trembles with belonging (and longing).” She is a Lannan Foundation Fellow, a Fundación Araguaney Fellow, recipient of the Alejo Zuloaga Order in Literature 2011, the AE Ventures Fellowship, and an Honored Finalist for the 2009 Gift of Freedom Award. Handal was listed as one of the “100 Most Powerful Arab Women 2011” in a Special Report by ArabianBusiness.com. Handal writes the blog-column, The City and The Writer, for Words without Borders magazine.
Featured Poets for ISSUE-XIV November 2011
Jayanta Mahapatra(The Enchanting Poet)
Jayanta Mahapatra, born on 22 October 1928 in Cuttack ( India ), belongs to a lower middle-class family. He had his early education at Stewart school, Cuttack . After a first class Master's Degree in Physics, he joined as a teacher in 1949 and served in different Government colleges of Orissa.
All his working life, he taught physics at different colleges in Orissa. He retired in 1986. Mahapatra has authored 18 books of poems. He started writing poetry at the age of thirty-eight, quite late by normal standards. Mahapatra's tryst with the muse came rather late in life. He published his first poems in his early 40s. The publication of his first book of poems, Svayamvara and Other Poems, in 1971 was followed by the publication of Close the Sky, Ten By Ten.
His collections of poems include A Rain of Rites, Life Signs and A Whiteness of Bone. One of Mahapatra's better remembered works is the long poem Relationship, for which he won the Sahitya Akademi award in 1981. He is the first Indian English Poet to receive the honor. Besides being one of the most popular Indian poets of his generation, Mahapatra was also part of the trio of poets who laid the foundations of modern Indian English Poetry. He shared a special bond with A. K. Ramanujan, one the finest poets in the IEP tradition. Mahapatra is also different in not being a product of the Bombay school of poets. Over time, he has managed to carve a quiet, tranquil poetic voice of his own--distinctly different from those of his contemporaries. His wordy lyricism combined with authentic Indian themes puts him in a league of his own. He won the Allen Tate award in 2009.
All his working life, he taught physics at different colleges in Orissa. He retired in 1986. Mahapatra has authored 18 books of poems. He started writing poetry at the age of thirty-eight, quite late by normal standards. Mahapatra's tryst with the muse came rather late in life. He published his first poems in his early 40s. The publication of his first book of poems, Svayamvara and Other Poems, in 1971 was followed by the publication of Close the Sky, Ten By Ten.
His collections of poems include A Rain of Rites, Life Signs and A Whiteness of Bone. One of Mahapatra's better remembered works is the long poem Relationship, for which he won the Sahitya Akademi award in 1981. He is the first Indian English Poet to receive the honor. Besides being one of the most popular Indian poets of his generation, Mahapatra was also part of the trio of poets who laid the foundations of modern Indian English Poetry. He shared a special bond with A. K. Ramanujan, one the finest poets in the IEP tradition. Mahapatra is also different in not being a product of the Bombay school of poets. Over time, he has managed to carve a quiet, tranquil poetic voice of his own--distinctly different from those of his contemporaries. His wordy lyricism combined with authentic Indian themes puts him in a league of his own. He won the Allen Tate award in 2009.
Kishwar Naheed(Editor's Choice)
Kishwar Naheed is one of the leading poets from Pakistan and she has been honoured with a number of significant awards. She has numerous books and is a much anthologized poet.
