Quintessential Poetry: A Global Poetry & Spoken Word Poetry Podcast

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Desiree Batiste is a newly emerging published poet and author. She has been writing poetry since she was 9 years old, when she was first published in a small locally distributed newspaper for children. She had one of her poems published in Poetry.com's "Best Poems and Poets of 2003" compilation. Her goal is to become a full-time author, focusing on the genres of poetry, psychological thriller fiction and the finalization of her autobiography. She also hopes to take a story she wrote when she was a child, and refine it into a children's book that they would be delighted to read. She was inspired to start writing poetry regularly just before a dark time in her life, and continued to write and create poems throughout that time and forward through the last 27 years. She has survived child abuse, a suicide attempt, multiple domestic violence relationships and the passing of her father...and walked away from all of it stronger. She was told by many professors in college that she was destined to be a writer and had the gift of the written word. She graduated summa cum laude with her Bachelors of Science in Technical Management with Criminal Justice specialization in October of 2020. Desiree is a life-long native of Arizona, and currently lives in Buckeye. She lives with her husband, Michael, her daughter Kaylee and their 3 cats. She enjoys writing, and uses it as her primary form of emotional expression. Poetry should be as much of a stress reliever for the reader as it is a stress release for the writer. Desiree also enjoys singing, dancing, playing the drums, keyboard and guitar. Her one hope as she builds her writing career is that she can achieve a true human connection with her readers that profoundly affects them in a positive way. Desiree feels that to uplift, inspire, enlighten and entertain are some of the best things which authors are privileged enough to share with the world.

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Catherine Vaughan is a British Poet based in England and the author of the poetry book Bohemian Love. She has performed poetry at The Times and Sunday Times Cheltenham Literary Festival and Brooklyn Poets. Catherine has also read for online poetry events such as Cobalt Poets in LA, New York Public Library, and Lime Square Poets in Ireland. Lovers in Paris, her next poetry book, will be released later this year. Catherine is also working on a novel called Welcome to Wonderland.

https://www.amazon.com/Bohemian-Love-Catherine-Vaughan/dp/0993408923

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Fareh Malik is a BIPOC artist from Hamilton, Ontario, as well as a seasoned spoken word poet and established author. Fareh was named the 2022 RBC PEN Canada New Voices Award winner. He was also the winner of Hamilton Art’s Shirley Elford Prize, The 2022 October Project Poetry Award, and MH Canada's 2020 Poetry Contest. Fareh's debut book Streams That Lead Somewhere was published in 2022 with Mawenzi House Publishers. Fareh was named a finalist for the 2021 Best of the Net anthology, and was honoured with the 2021 Garden Project grant to explore interdisciplinary work. His individual works have been published by literary presses all around the world. Fareh’s work has been described as critical, yet sanguine; poetry that often explores the intersection of racialization and mental illness, while maintaining a silver lining on its horizon. He loves to tell the story of his struggle, and of his community around him, in the hope that others can find inspiration and companionship in it. Fareh is currently a poet and author, working on his second collection.

https://www.amazon.com/Streams-that-Somewhere-Fareh-Malik/dp/177415076X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1681004313&sr=8-1

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David Leo Sirois is a Canadian-American poet published 142 times, in 24 countries. His work has been translated into 12 languages (Hindi, Bengali, Nepali, French, German, Czech, Spanish, Greek, Romanian, Chinese, Turkish, & Doric). He hosts Spoken World Online, the Zoom continuation of SpokenWord Paris. His first collection is called Humbledoves (poems to pigeons & plants). He won Third Prize in Winning Writers' Wergle Flomp Humor Poetry Contest. Sirois is a member of the Academy of American Poets, & the Writers International Capital Foundation, & has been honored for his “contribution to world literature” by The Fertile Brains, a renowned literary group in India. His poetry has appeared in journals such as The Bombay Review, The Poetry Village, One Hand Clapping, Indian Periodical, The Sunday Tribune Online, THE BASTILLE, the Madras Courier, & Terre à Cièl (which also published his translations from the French). David is often featured at global events, such as the Panorama International Literature Festival, & 100 Thousand Poets for Change, as well as in many international podcasts & interviews. He is also a singer/songwriter, radio DJ, & a film/TV/theater actor. He is currently submitting 5 finished manuscripts for publication, & writing several more.

https://www.amazon.com/humbledoves-David-Leo-Sirois/dp/1777437911/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1680733828&sr=8-1

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Words from Chayyim Eliezer Ben Israel:

Born in Austin Tx. Raised in Los Angeles California, I had the taste to entertain at a very young age. Obtained writing and theatrical passion following my mother Elsie Katie Spruill. Began writing poetry in my early teens. Found a perfect match with poetry and music.

https://amazon.com/hebruise

https://instagram.com/clearmental

https://facebook.com/clearmentalmusic

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ANASTASIA LINDSEY is a timeless soul and author who participates in inter-dimensional traveling and building beautiful poems to capture the hearts of souls around the world in the most loving and supportive ways possible. Sensitive in nature and sweet in soul – she brings a powerful sense of calmness to her work, and most importantly to her words. She has spent most of her life traveling the endless twists and turns of her imagination to create beautiful poems. Anastasia has been writing since grade school and has always used empathy, pain, and—most importantly—love as her muse to write poems that help others heal. She specializes in highlighting one’s broken pieces to make something unique and comforting within oneself – and most importantly helps others to view themselves as a work of art.

This humble writer was born and raised in a small town of Illinois where she currently resides in a beautiful, cozy little house on a patch of land with the love of her life, Dakota. Although an author, she is also the owner of a small business, Summer Solace Holistic Healing & Poetry, where she uses different modalities to help others heal, including Reiki, Meditation, Sound Healing, Hypnosis, and has recently started her journey into Shamanism. When she is not writing or crafting her small business, Anastasia spends her time dreaming, painting, drawing, designing, and singing. She even auditioned for The Voice in 2017. Her angelic soul and empathetic nature make her one of a kind in this world. Anastasia’s words take you on many journeys with the strong hope of allowing you to return home, safe and in love.https://www.summersolacehealing.com

“OCEAN is one of the most unique poetry collections I’ve ever read” – Lindsay Crandall, Independent Book Review

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From Whence We Came: Women in Poetry is presented by Quintessential Listening: Poetry Online Radio (www.qlpor.com) in honor of National Women's History Month. This event will feature readings by Valeri Beers, Linda Imbler, Gerry Leonard LaGuardia, and Linda Ohlson Graham and a discussion of the role of women in poetry.

The From Whence We Came phrase is from remarks made by John F. Kennedy at the Dinner for America's Cup Crews on September 14 1962.    

Biographies

https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/67595793/qlpor-presents-from-whence-we-came-women-in-poetry

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March 8 is International Women's Day, a day to celebrate the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also brings attention to the women's rights movement, gender equality, reproductive rights, and violence and abuse against women.

In honor of the occasion, Quntessential Listening: Poetry Online Radio presents four renowned Canadian women poets sharing their poetry. These poets are Clara Blackwood, Brenda Clews, Jennifer Hosein, and Archna Sahni. Hope you enjoy!

The bios of these poets can be found at: https://www.yumpu.com/en/document/read/67559328/international-womens-day-2023

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Alexandra was born in the year of the horse of fire, in Greece, where she spent many years living in the wild mountains of the island of Hydra. Later, she attended St. Mary's in Wiltshire and studied European Thought & Literature at Anglia Ruskin in Cambridge. She lived in Paris and New York, before returning to Greece to settle. Her father was a renowned poet and author and had a successful publishing company in Greece. Her mother was a ballet dancer as well as president of the Dance Union in Greece. Her family social circles, ever since a little girl, were rich with artists, writers, and academics. She lives with her husband, a classical guitar soloist and four children near the Temple of Poseidon, Sounio, by the sea and publishes her own visual poems on Amazon. Each of Alexandra's books is a symphony composed of a long poem accompanied by her graphic illustrations that convey “The Flying”.

alexandrabooks.info

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The Washington, DC-based ensemble of poets known for its messages of inspiration, empowerment, and social consciousness has performed locally and abroad. Collective Voices' international debut was in London, England, in 1998. Founded in 1995, the group’s current members include Sylvia Dianne "Ladi Di" Beverly, Andre "Brenardo" Taylor, and the group’s founder, J. Joy "Sistah Joy" Matthews Alford, who was appointed as Poet Laureate of Prince George’s County, MD, in 2018. In addition to performing their original poetry, the group presents poetry workshops and coordinates arts-oriented activities throughout the Washington Metropolitan region. Of note, the group presented an annual arts-based tribute, Poetry Extravaganza, for 20 years, honoring the life and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The event was presented annually at the downtown Washington, DC-based Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library, which was attended by hundreds each year. Collective Voices has self-published 2 chapbooks, Poetry and Prose For A New Millennium (2000) and Experience, Expression, Expansion (1996), and its members have published 6 individual books of poetry. Collective Voices' poetry has also appeared in numerous anthologies. The group and individual members of the group have received numerous awards and recognitions for artistic excellence, community service, and literary activism, including the 2002 Poet Laureate Special Award from the DCCAH for "outstanding contributions to the art of poetry in Washington, DC." With its debut performance at a women's shelter, Collective Voices has continued its socially-relevant presentations at numerous churches, schools, galleries, youth and senior support facilities and organizations, and at various regional, national, and international conferences and conventions. To Book, contact Sistah Joy at P. O. Box 2073, Clinton, MD 20735, or [email protected].