Quintessential Poetry: Online Radio, YouTube and Zoom

Aaron R The Poet sponsors multiple poetry contests throughout the year. Chev won the the 2021 Summer Edition of the contest. Key Wills won 2nd place and Miss Kiane won 3rd place. Other participants in the contest were Jae/Intangible Motivation, Yvette G. Santana and She So Cold. Listen to all tonight at 8:00 PM (EST).

Don Kingfisher Campbell, MFA in Creative Writing from Antioch University Los Angeles, taught Writers Seminar at Occidental College Upward Bound for 36 years, been a coach and judge for Poetry Out Loud, a performing poet/teacher for Red Hen Press Youth Writing Workshops, L.A. Coordinator and Board Member of California Poets In The Schools, poetry editor of the Angel City Review, publisher of Spectrum magazine, and host of the Saturday Afternoon Poetry reading series in Pasadena, California. For awards, features, and publication credits, please go to: http://dkc1031.blogspot.com

Tanya (Hyonhye) Ko Hong is a bilingual Korean American poet and translator. She has an MFA in poetry from Antioch University. Tanya is the author of four poetry collections, most recently The War Still Within: Poems of the Korean Diaspora(KYSO Flash Press, 2019), written primarily in English. Before that, she published Mother to Myself (Prunsasang Press, 2015) in Korean, Yellow Flowers on a Rainy Day (Oma Books of the Pacific, 2003) in English, and Generation One Point Five (Esprit Books, 1993) in Korean with English translations. Her poetry appears in Rattle, Beloit Poetry Journal, Entropy, Cultural Weekly, WSQ: Women’s Studies Quarterly (published by The Feminist Press), the Choson Ilbo, The Korea Times, and the Aeolian Harp Series Anthology, among others. 

Tanya was the first Korean-American recipient of the Yun Doon-ju Korean-American Literature Award. Her segmented poem, “Comfort Woman,” won the 11th Moon Prize from Writing in a Woman’s Voice and received an honorable mention from the Women’s National Book Association. She was a finalist for Frontier’s Chapbook Contest and the Ko Won Literature Award, and a semi-finalist in the Jack Grapes Poetry Contest. She has received grants from the Korean Cultural Center, the Daesan Foundation, and Poets & Writers. Weaving together two cultures, Tanya’s poetry gives voice to multiple generations of Korean and Korean-American women. Her most recent collection, The War Still Within includes a well-researched and vividly imagined sequence of poems based on the experiences of the Korean “comfort women” who were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II.

Jonathan Hopkins is no stranger to the exquisite art of writing (sic). He began writing poetry at the age of 14 and continues to write over 35 years later. He has penned several short stories and over 200 pieces that range in style from sonnet to modern spoken word. His book, “Golden Dreams on Copper Wings: Life’s Flight Through Poetry” is a retrospective, often humorous, look at his life through the eyes of his pen. Jonathan was a fixture in the Washington DC area poetry scene under the Pseudonym “The Wryte One.” His peers have described him/his work as “genius,” “... one of the most prolific and fanatically-flowing writers I’ve met,” “neurotic word-play,” ”the definition of poetry,” as well as countless other superlatives. Jonathan is also a gifted guitarist who has been playing since the age of 16. He has played with a plethora of local artists, performed in numerous venues, worked on several recorded projects and has even shared the stage with Eric Benet. Jonathan hopes to express his life, his love and his Lord Jesus Christ through his gifts of writing and music.

Happy or joyful poems that make you rejoice in life and the essence of being.

Reflective poems about dealing with love and relationships.

Inspiring poems that encourage you to take a chance, experiment, and follow your dreams to wherever the journey leads.

Motivational poems that tip your life inspiration into action and foster growth and development.

Confronting poems that may shake you up a little, and hopefully stir you on to greater self-empowerment.

Co-hosted by Aaron R. The Poet, DeeLynn, Dr. Michael Anthony Ingram, Brian Donnell James and Jackie Oldham

Ana Castillo is a celebrated author of poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and drama. Among her award-winning books are So Far from God, The Mixquiahuala Letters, Black Dove: Mamá, Mi'jo, and Me, The Guardians, Peel My Love Like an Onion, Sapogonia, Massacre of the Dreamers: Essays on Xicanisma. Her new collection of poetry is My Book of the Dead. Born and raised in Chicago, Castillo resides in southern New Mexico.

Ross Lane is the author of 10 modern poetry publications all of which deal with a search for meaning, identity and the course of life. Ross is published by Wordcatcher Publishing.

His publications can be broken down into two trilogies with "The Gathering Trilogy" being formed from his first three collections "Anthology, Collection & Ensemble," and "The Thought Trilogy" being formed of "Fly-Tipping, Driftwood and Beacons." Ideologue, his ninth collection, is a stand-alone publication.

He is also the author of "Highlands: A Poet's Journey in Scotland" which deals with 25 years of travel through the magnificent Highlands of Scotland along with "Gathering," an omnibus of the first three releases with a selection of brand-new writings.

Ross will release two new collections over the coming year, “Journeyman” and a travel poetry collection written during his time visiting the Greek Island of Cephalonia.

Born in Wales, in the Cynon Valley in 1975 and educated at Aberdare Boy’s Comprehensive School. He later studied at the University of Glamorgan where he obtained a BA (Hons) in English Literature, History, Philosophy & Psychology, during which time he learned from some of the United Kingdom's leading poetry authors.

As a writer he is heavily influenced by the works of David Lynch, Seamus Heaney, Robert Smith, Sting and Mike Peters MBE. On a more personal level, Ross attributes much of his inspiration to his family, his parents Wendy & John, sister Cathryn, niece Georgia and fiancée Natalie.

As an avid creative he has been involved in many performance types from orchestras, swing bands, rock ensembles, short film and movie production both from a writing and performance perspective.

He currently lives in Cwmbach, South Wales.

His work is available on Facebook (@RossLanePoetry) and his YouTube channel.

As a lifelong Storyteller, I’ve enjoyed creating stories from nature’s imagery, the imaginative adventures of childhood, and a life well-lived. Impromptu spoken word has remained my JOY, combined with song and compassion. These elements have sparked my writings, inherited from my grandmother and mother, both early childhood teachers and Civil Rights activists. They introduced me to poetry, creative writing, Haiku, and art appreciation with continual museum visits. At age twelve, my family moved into a new home with an extensive collection of National Geographics in the attic, which introduced me to the world. This inspired more diverse writing throughout my high school years. Writing continued at college in Washington D.C. I studied political science, history, and sociology. Next, I followed my family to Colorado which enhanced my creative writing in prose and memoir. In 1978, I founded a retail gallery and boutique, where I wrote continuously about the global handicrafts, textiles, the customs of the country of origin, and of the stones set in jewelry. I created a wholesale business as a sales representative to bring innovative products to retail store owners. I traveled the prairies, foothills, and the Rocky Mountains, from the borders of Canada to Mexico. I wrote constantly about the diverse terrain, the cultural history of the people, and the difficulties that Manifest Destiny’s land /gold rush inflicted. At the end of the 2009 recession, I went from a 3,000 sq ft store & moved SOLO into a tiny space. My lease was not renewed for the second time and I was unable to ride out the economic fall. After 35 years, I was cut loose, penniless by 2012. By 2015, the world of writing was calling me! I attended free annual writing workshops at the Public Library and local Art Galleries. With the guidance of a poetry mentor, my writing inspiration was heightened beyond my wildest dreams. POETRY now rules my quest!

Ryan Quinn Flanagan is a Canadian-born author who lives in Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada with his wife and many bears that rifle through his garbage. His work has appeared both in print and online in such places as: The New York Quarterly, Evergreen Review, Cultural Weekly, Setu, GloMag and The Oklahoma Review. He enjoys listening to the blues and cruising down the Trans Canada in his big blacked out truck.

Benito Pastoriza Iyodo is an author of poetry, poetics, fiction and literary articles. The themes of his literary works include: man's evolution from childhood to adulthood, examination of self, the precipices of culture and its rituals, violence in the cities, examination of stereotypes, the constructs of communication, gender roles and sexuality, education systems and racism, exploitation and the manifestation of exclusion through political and economic powers.

His literary career is manifested in eight books: five collections of poetry, a novel and two books of short stories. Three books of poetry and one volume of short stories have been published in bilingual editions (the original Spanish and English). The author's poems and short stories have been included in anthologies and journals published in the United States, Latin America and Spain.

His published works are: The color of the colorless (Lo coloro de lo incoloro), A matter of men (Cuestión de hombres), September Elegies (Elegías de septiembre), Letters to the shadow of your love (Cartas a la sombra de tu piel), The waters of Paradise (El agua del paraíso) Beloved, beloved of my heart (Nena, nena de mi corazón), Brothel of the word (Prostíbulo de la palabra) and Hominis Aurora.

Benito Pastoriza Iyodo was born in Puerto Rico. He received his bachelor's degree in English and Hispanic Studies at the University of Puerto Rico. Later, he obtained his master's degree in Spanish Language and Literature at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He completed his doctoral coursework in Romance Languages and Literatures at the University of Chicago.

He has been recognized through various literary prizes, including the Ateneo Puertorriqueño Prize, the Chicano/Latino Literary Prize, the Julio Cortázar Prize (Uruguay) and the Hispanic Culture Review Poetry Award.