Tahira Rehman Poet

In this episode, poet and multi-skilled artist Vandana Sudheesh brings you her inspiring story and words of wisdom. She shares her two poems 'I am rare' and 'The real world' with insights into both poems and a positive message for the listeners. Vandana believes that writing your thoughts down is an effective way of expressing and processing one's feelings and can help calm the mind down. She shares her experience of becoming a self-made artist and gives some golden advice for new writers. We also talk about the importance of reading as a gateway to becoming a successful writer. Vandana also gives a sneak peak of her upcoming book and what motivated her to write about social causes. 🎧 More about Vandana:

Vandana Sudheesh, a poet with a diverse voice was born in Kozhikode district in the southern Indian state of Kerala. She was conferred with Order of Shakespeare medal in 2021 and honoured with “PRASHASTI PATRA” jointly by Motivation Strips and Gujarat Sahitya Academy.  She was also awarded the WORLD AWARD “CESAR VALLEJO 2020” for EXCELLENCE IN LITERARY FIELD by UHE (Union Hispanomundial De Escritores) in Spanish. She was awarded the membership of the World Nation Writers Union (WNWU). 🏆🏆🏆She published her first solo book 📕 "The Humble Wrath" in August 2020. Her poems have been published in many magazines. Find out more on her website: www.vandanasudheesh.com/ follow her on Instagram @ author_vandana_sudheesh

Season 3 proudly presents 'Forced hyphenation and poetry' featuring Podcast host, poet and wordsmith Imogen Arate! In this episode, Imogen shares her two poems "Eye Rolling on International Women’s Day" and "To Whose End." Imogen shares her motivations and feelings behind her work, her commitment and passion for giving the under-represented a platform to share their poetry and talks about the importance of healing. Imogen believes that issues and experiences during childhood play a critical role in later life, affecting relationships, work and belief systems. We discuss poetry as a powerful means of expressing one's voice and the success Imogen's award-winning podcast 'Poets and Muses' has achieved, highlighting poets from various backgrounds." "Everybody is different", stresses Imogen. And just because two people are from an ethnic minority, it doesn't mean they are the same - a powerful point! I'll leave the rest to the episode! 😉 More about Imogen:

Imogen Arate is an award-winning Asian-American poet and writer and the Executive Producer and Host of Poets and Muses, a weekly poetry podcast that won second place at National Federation of Press Women's 2020 Communications Contest.🏆She has written in four languages and published in two. Her poems, “A Declaration of Loyalty” and “Sanctuary” placed Second and Third, respectively, in the 2020 National Federation of Press Women at-Large Communications Contest. 🏆 Her poetry has appeared in 18 publications on four continents, most recently in The New Verse News, I Wanna Be Loved by You: Poems on Marilyn Monroe and Dwell Time. You can find her @PoetsandMuses and @ImogenArate on Twitter and Instagram.

Brand new Season 3 PRESENTS 'Finding your inner gift' with Creative writer and author Abimbola Alaka! 🥳🎊▶️📢

Abimbola is passionate about bringing change in the younger generation and believes that no matter how old we are, we all have inner gifts that we must identify and search. In this episode, she shares 2 beautiful and inspiring poems 'The Things Father Did Not Teach Us' and 'You Versus The World' and elaborates on her book 'The Things Father Did Not Teach Us' and gives some clues on her upcoming book and work. Also, get to know her secret of managing her busy schedule! 📢▶️🎊💥😇 ... More about Abi:

Abimbola Ojurongbe-Alaka is a creative writer 📓 and a HR consultant. Abi is also a graduate of English studies from Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Ogun State, and the University of Sheffield, UK. 🎓

She is a focused HR professional with a successful track record in recruitment, change management and the transformation of HR departments and organisations. She was a National Winner of the Nigerian Stock Exchange essay competition in 2005 and has been featured on Witty Writers' World's Poetry Cafe. 🏆 ... In her spare time, Abimbola enjoys baking pastries, sweets, and cakes. 🍰

 You can find details of her book on Amazon 📕 and give her a follow @bims_a

Season 2 proudly PRESENTS: Art at A Deeper Level with Oloyede Michael Taiwo! The FINAL EPISODE OF THE SEASON! 🎊🎊🎊🎊…Founder of ‘Lagos Poetry Thon’ is BACK on the show but with more than one poem! Taiwo takes you through his empowering journey in becoming a writer. But it doesn’t stop there, Taiwo sees art as the ventilation of life and describes how he has had the gift of seeing beyond the surface level in his professional works, personal life and poetry. Listen to his poems ‘Things That Are Hard To Name’ and ‘I am in Love With Life.’ Also, listen to his story and be ready to dive into art at a deeper level!

More about Taiwo:

Oloyede Michael Taiwo is a multi-hyphenated artist based in Nigeria. He is a fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants and also an associate of the Modern School of Applied Psychology. Oloyede is the Curator of Lagos Poetry Thon, the foremost round the clock poetry event across west Africa. He is an avid writer and a voracious reader. He loves to comb the liminal space in his spare time. He has been nominated for the Quramo Writer’s Prize 🎊 and received a prize in flash fiction. 📗

Find out more on: 🔗 www.lagos.poetrython.com Instagram - 🔗 @oloyedetom - 🔗 Twitter @oloyedetom

Yes, the title rhymes! But not just that, it's TRUE!!! Manchester beat poet and Born Lippy Slam Champion Jack Horner known as 'Leon The Pig Farmer' fires his AMAZING and INSPIRING story in this episode on his writing and performance journey. He continues wowing audiences with his explosive, energising and ryhthematic lines and in this episode, you will find the powerful and personal journey that's given source to his amazing energy! 💥💥⚡💥..

Life is full of challenges and in the end, it's the choices we make that matters. What do we need to make the right choices? How can art help? Leon The Pig Farmer gives away some amazing gems and tips not to be missed! Listen to 2 of his powerful poems 'Even monkeys fall from trees' and 'Beat goes on.' 🎤 More about Jack: 🔊 Jack Horner aka 'Leon the pig farmer' is a Manchester based Yorkshire beat poet. An ex-serviceman who began writing verse to help him deal with a PTSD diagnosis. In 2019, LTPF became interested in spoken word and fast firing rhythmic verse as it suited his style. Recently, he won Born Lippy's poetry slam in Newcastle. His performances also include Supportig Tim Burgess (The Charlatans), Tom Hingley, and he has also performed at the retro bar in Manchester. He also appeared as a Guest at the Ritz Manchester before Cabbage band. He is due to perform at the EMF on shine festival in todmorden, the Tramlines fringe and the Macclesfield festival. His latest book 📚 'lockdown in 2021' with proceeds to charity and he has some very exciting projects and musical collaborations to come!

What the others say! “A wry and acutely observed eye, his poetry feels personal and relatable- no longer does a poet between bands elicit a groan.“ and “ he has words of venom with an articulated quick fire style that is hard to argue against”

Even the stars Reyt good magazine:

“This guy has his own slant on the art, no prompts straight out with it. A true talent with a mind full of gems, compelling.“ and “ He is quickly becoming our generations John Cooper Clarke, Anyone after the crown forget it, this lads already stole it”

Louder than war 🔗 You can find out more about Jack on:

https://thepigfarmer.art/ 🔗 follow him on Instagram @leontpf71 🎉🎉

Founder of Witty Writers' World, Olabayo Joshua Awodirepo has always loved writing. In 2017, he went from writing scripts to writing everyday for 365 days without fail! ▶️ In this episode, Josh shares his inspiring story on his journey in becoming the person it has taken him to be in a position where he is able to inspire others in making a positive impact through writing. 🎤 Josh says he expresses himself best when he picks up his pen, how inspiring! Listen to his two beautiful poems 'What Is Love?' and 'When Depression Knocks.' Also find out more about the amazing impact Witty Writers' World is having and how it is now a family that expresses art and culture and addresses real life issues through creativity. 💪 Josh believes that writing can help you master your craft and bring out your potential, how very true! This is the inspiration that he shares through his work and Witty Writers' World poetry cafe. 🔊 More about Josh: 📔 Olabayo Joshua Awodirepo also known as Witty_Pen hails from Osun State though born and brought up in Badagry, Lagos State. He graduated from the Department of European Studies, University of Ibadan where he studied French language. He also did his M. A in French Studies in the same citadel of learning. 

🎉 He is an award winning Bilingual poet 🌎, creative writer, proofreader and editor. He has written over 300 wise nuggets and a good number of poems. He has proofread and edited over 200 works of others (in form of poetry, short stories and articles for publication). Some of his works have been featured on different sites like myfrenchworld.org, mapetitefranceng.com, luyisupdates.com.ng, blog.wittywritersworld.com. He won the Poetic Duel Int'l poet of the year award in 2020 as well as the first prize award for an Haiku challenge organised by Infoatassi Media in March, 2021. 🔗

You can find out more about Joshua on www.wittywritersworld.com 🌎 you can follow him on Instagram @witty_pen 🖊️

“THE MAGIC’S IN THE DEMO!” Yes! That’s right. In his own words, the New Jersey-based award-winning poet and author Robert Cozzi believes that writing is about allowing your words to speak entirely for themselves without distraction; how beautiful. Robert couldn’t get more original and sincere than that, he himself has his whole life written down in journals which long stands as invaluable advice that he has followed from his English teacher as a child. As a mentor for new writers, Robert believes that desire is the key to becoming a successful writer and you must have a “do it or die” attitude. In this episode, he shares his two beautiful poems ‘New Years Eve 1997’ and ‘Boardwalk Visions.’ We talk about how much we have in common while he shares his inspiring story and inspiration. We discuss why being true to yourself is important as Robert juggles his day job with his writing life and has a keen eyesight to his surroundings, no wonder he has his whole life written down! We talk about how losing his special friend Derek changed his life and how Derek has never disappeared in his writing. We also discuss his upcoming Anthology (at the time) which features a beautiful poem he shares. But don’t let me give too much away, get yourself ready to be inspired! ▶️ More about Robert: Award-winning poet, Robert A. Cozzi, continues to dazzle his international following with poetry and prose that tantalize all five senses and leave the reader wanting more. In addition to five published poetry volumes, and inclusion in anthologies and publications, Robert also shares daily creations and livestreams on Instagram. Educated at James Madison University and New York University, Cozzi shares valuable mentorship with new writers around the globe 🌎 For more, visit Robert on Instagram @RobertCozziAuthor, and on Twitter @RobertACozzi1. Robert has a total of six published poetry books 📔 His latest solo book ‘kaleidoscope of colors’ can be found here: 🔗 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B097CF9K1V and the Anthology ‘Perspective to pen’ can be found here: 🔗 https://www.amazon.com/Perspective-Pen-Anthology-Robert-Cozzi/dp/B08P5F9FTT/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=perspective+to+pen+robert+cozzi&qid=1631723206&sr=8-1

It's time to dive into Rob's story as a Poet, Slam Champion and founder of Punk In Drublic. Listen to his two wonderful and inspiring poems 'The Bucket' and 'Man Of The House.' What questions have you had about the amazing Spoke Word Scene? Could Rob answer any of them? What does it take to start your own poetry night? What does it take to succeed as a performance poet? What makes the poetry scene unique compared to other arts? Which poet do you know that Rob mentions in this episode? Rob believes that it takes more than a text book to build the skills one needs to succeed in the arts and what's more, he's been there himself. He has had to create and work on building a strong mental stamina alongside his desire and passion of helping others through his work as a Pastor and as someone who gives others a platform on the poetry scene. Be further inspired as Rob leaves you with some personal encouragement, something we could all do with these days ☺️

More about Rob: 🔊 Rob Steventon has been peddling poetry since 2013 and has been Champion of Manchester’s Word War and York’s Say Owt poetry slam. His night 'Punk In Drublic' won the Sabotoir Awards and has Raised more than 10k for Mustard Tree, a charity for the homeless. Rob's poem Birdfall was published in collaboration with artist Sonny Ross as a graphic poetry book in 2018. Recently, Rob's new book 'How I Made My Millions' was published by Flapjack Press. Link to his book here 📗 🔗 https://www.waterstones.com/book/how-i-made-my-millions/rob-steventon/9781838118570 🎤

| Find out more about Rob here 🔗 https://www.facebook.com/robsteventonpoet?refsrc=deprecated&_rdr

It's time to turn negative energy into healing with Karen Middleton! Be inspired as she shares her story in writing poetry and what inspired her. She is a poet and author from Sherburn Village. She started writing poems 20 years ago and found poetry made her feel better after many trials and tribulations in her life. Listen to her beautiful poems 'All I Can Do Now Is Buy Flowers' and 'Sights And Sounds Of The Seaside.' Listen to her insightful wisdom as she dives into her story. Karen believes it's never too late to do what you want in life and she herself has proven this by merging her talent of writing books and completing a law degree later in life. She has also inspired others to start writing as a coping mechanism and believed that if you can make a difference to how someone else feels, it's all worth the while! 😇

Karen believes that you don't know how you think until you start writing, what a wonderful philosophy! She is also a mother, wife and loves taking her dog for a walk. 🥰

Karen has 5 children's story rhyme books 📗 published and has recently published her second poetry collection called 'Covid 19 poems.' 📗 She is also working on a novel which will be published this year. 🥳 ...

Find out more about her work on the following links:

Webpage:

https://stuffshewrote.webnode.co.uk/ .....

Books:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08KTGMKMMref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_2KP2KH12VCBGJ7VK85Q7

This is not only a story of Henry's journey in performance poetry, this is an I CAN DO THIS anthem from a down-to-earth individual who spends his time giving others a platform. Listen to his two energetic poems 'Discount Tescos Bunting' and 'Work Sets You Free'

at the beginning and the end of the episode. Henry also shares how being inspired by John Cooper Clarke ignited the belief in him to write a punk poem and why it's important to find your voice, challenge and articulate your strengths. Henry also advises it's important to value other poets as this can lead to valuing your own work too. Be inspired by his journey as a free-bird, his enthusiasm and his attitude of 'taking a step back and challenging heirachys and power' (as he says) to give others a platform. Get an insight into his journey of founding 'Say Owt' and what's to come! Remember to have your pen ready for some valuable notes ☺️

↘️ More about Henry:

Henry Raby is a York-based, performance poet, theatre-maker, play-wright and workshop facilitator. He has performed across the UK as a mainstay of the spoken word scene. He’s ½ of Vandal Factory Theatre Company and worked for various theatres. Henry is also the Artistic Director and founder of 'Say Owt' and hosts related events across York. Say Owt celebrated its 5-year anniversary last year. Visit his webpage here: 🔗 www.henryraby.com | His book 'Nerd Punk' has been published by Burning Eye Books and can be found here: 🔗 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1911570315/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glt_fabc_YEX5PNF80HRVHMFFAH23