Tag: #poet

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Luis J. Rodriguez – Poet/Activist

We are thrilled to welcome back Luis J. Rodriguez, poet/author/activist and former Los Angeles Poet Laureate from 2014 to 2016. We discuss the Always Running festival, which is named after his well-known book Always Running: La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A. Since our last interview, Luis has been traveling with his wife Trini for poetry readings and speaking engagements around the world. Currently, he is working on a script with Freddy Negrete based on the true story of the killing of David Dominguez, a gang member, by San Gabriel ex-cop Billy Joe McIlvain.

We also touch on a project that Luis was involved in with John Leguizamo, though unfortunately it was not completed. One of the most heartbreaking topics we discuss is the growing homeless population in Los Angeles and how expensive housing is causing many people to leave the city or move to Mexico. Take a listen to this insightful conversation with an accomplished author and activist.

In addition to being a novelist, memoirist, short story writer, children’s book writer, and essayist, Luis is also a poet. He is also known as a mentor, healer, youth and arts advocate, community and urban peace activist, husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

And if you find yourself in the Los Angeles area, be sure to visit Tia Chucha Bookstore and Cultural Center.

Luis J. Rodriguez – Biography

He has 16 books in all genres (poetry, children’s books, fiction, and nonfiction), including the best-selling memoir, “Always Running, La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A.” His latest memoir is the sequel, “It Calls You Back: An Odyssey Through Love, Addiction, Revolutions, and Healing.” His last poetry book is 2016’s “Borrowed Bones” from Curbstone Books/Northwestern University Press. In 2020, Seven Stories Press released his first book of essays, “From Our Land to Our Land: Essays, Journeys & Imaginings from a Native Xicanx Writer.”

Among his many awards and fellowships, in 2022 Luis was given a California Arts Council Legacy Fellowship and a Los Angeles Times’ Robert Kirsch Lifetime Achievement Award.

Luis is founding editor of Tia Chucha Press, now for over 30 years, and more than 20 years ago he co-founded with his wife Trini Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural & Bookstore in the San Fernando Valley. He has traveled across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America, Europe, and Japan to speak, do poetry readings, indigenous ceremonies, or reportage over the past 40 years. This includes prisons, jails, and juvenile lockups in around 20 U.S. states, as well as Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Argentina, Italy, and England. Dedicated to his indigenous roots and Native American spirituality, Luis has a Mexika name: Mixcoatl Itztlacuiloh. With his wife Trini (Tlazohteotl) he has a podcast called “The Hummingbird Cricket Hour”–http://hchpodcast.libsyn.com/

Luis is dedicated to a clean, balanced, abundant, cooperative, healing world. No more capitalist private property relations, exploitation, war, or inequities. “In essential things, unity; in nonessential things, liberty. In all things compassion.”

Listen to episode

Always Running – La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A. by Luis J. Rodriguez

The Concrete River: Poems by Luis J Rodriguez

Tia Chucha Bookstore & Cultural Center

Freddy Negrete: Smile Now, Cry Later

Good Cop or Bad Cop? The Story of Billy Joe McIlvain and the Murder of David Dominguez

 

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Jack Remick – Author/Poet

Jack Remick - Author/PoetWe are thrilled to announce that Jack Remick will join us as our guest for this month’s episode on the Poetic Resurrection Podcast. He’s a poet and a writer and he recites his poems, Dying Dreams, Secret Disease and Lovdeth, from his poetry collection entitled Satori. They’re beautiful poems. I love this section from Dying Dreams: “Despite the cult of youth, we know this: flowers fade, we come to the closing of doors where we lie down naked for the dying of dreams.” Not only is he a talented poet and writer, but he also imparts his knowledge by offering a writing masterclass. Take the time to listen in to this episode, which promises to be both enjoyable and educational.

Jack Remick – Bio
I have been a college instructor, a grammar school teacher, a social worker, a community activist, a tunnel stiff, and a bus driver. My writing life began when I studied poetry at UC Berkeley with Thom Gunn. He taught me the essence of originality when he asked me why I was copying the style and substance of other poets–dead, of course. Jack, he said, when you inhabit another man’s universe, it will always be smaller than the one you create for yourself.

Throughout my career, I have taken on various roles such as a college instructor, grammar school teacher, social worker, community activist, tunnel worker, and even a bus driver. But my journey as a writer began at UC Berkeley where I studied poetry under the guidance of Thom Gunn. It was there that he taught me the importance of originality by challenging me to question why I was emulating the styles and ideas of other poets who were no longer living. Jack, he said, when you inhabit another man’s universe, it will always be smaller than the one you create for yourself.

After years of work, experimentation, and exploration of the writing world–which involved three trips to South America and their exposure to both Indigenous and Colonial lifestyles–I returned home carrying a load of understanding and desire that had not driven me before. Life in South America gave me three novels: No Century for Apologies, which won Honorable Mention for the Hoffer Grand Prize; Gabriela and The Widow, which was a finalist for the Book of the Year Award; as well as a Finalist for the Montaigne Medal and One Year in the Time of Violence, a novel that follows a Gringo living in the time of the Colombian Violencia with all its horror and political chaos.

My writing world expanded with each life experience until I was able to write a ground-breaking novel titled Citadel. Enraptured with fiction, I had ignored poetry until events unfolded, which led me to write Josie Delgado, a Poem of the Central Valley and Satori, Poems. With each publication, I understood more of Thom Gunn’s wisdom. I have learned the effectiveness of collaboration with other writers. Robert J. Ray and I co-wrote The Weekend Novelist Writes a Mystery a how-to that demystifies writing of the mystery.

Listen to the episode

You can find his published works here:

http://www.amazon.com./author/jackremick

 

 

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Poetry – Shade of Being Poem

Poetry - Shade of Being by Sonia Iris LozadaIn this January 2024 episode, I’ll discuss poetry and read Shade of Being.

Poetry became my outlet, my means of processing and articulating the complexities of my dual identity. Through the rhythmic words and vivid imagery, I could capture the nuances of my emotions, the clash of cultures, and the struggles of navigating between two worlds. It allowed me to explore and embrace the beauty of both sides of my heritage, while also acknowledging the challenges and conflicts that arose from it. Poetry became a form of self-discovery and self-expression, a way for me to make sense of my place in the world. It provided solace and comfort in times of confusion and uncertainty, offering me a sense of validation and understanding that I couldn’t find elsewhere. Poetry became my therapy, my self-help, and my sanctuary, guiding me through the complexities of my bi-cultural upbringing and shaping me into the person I am today.

In my teens, I had a poetry notebook I would carry with me everywhere, treasuring the words I had carefully written. However, one unfortunate day in the bustling streets of Chicago, my three-ring binder slipped from my grasp and scattered its contents in the wind. Helplessly watching as my precious poetry scattered into the air, I felt a deep sense of loss. Unlike today, where technology allows us to back up our work easily, back then, everything was typed, and I didn’t have a copy of my poetry. Despite this setback, I refused to let it deter me from my passion. I continued to write, pouring my emotions and thoughts onto paper. Over the years, I have managed to compile my poetry into four books, each representing a different phase of my life. “Inspire Me Series: Book 1 & 2” was published in 2022, previously published were “Inspire Me: Perception” and “Follow Akashic Dreaming Through Time” in 2019. My first book, “Inspire Me: Raw,” was released in 2017, marking the beginning of my journey as a published poet. Currently, I am eagerly working on the third installment of the Inspire Me Series, titled “Inspire Me: Awakening Dreams.”

In, Inspire Me: Awakening Dreams I hope to take the readers on a journey of self-discovery and personal growth. It delves into the depths of one’s subconscious mind, exploring the power of dreams and their ability to inspire and transform. Through imagery and thought-provoking verses, I hope this book encourages readers to explore their innermost desires, embrace their passions, and awaken their true potential. Drawing inspiration from the beauty of nature, the complexities of human emotions, and the mysteries of the universe, the poems in my new collection offer a unique blend of introspection and inspiration. With each turn of the page, I invited you to delve deeper into your dreams, discovering new perspectives and unlocking hidden truths. As the third installment in the Inspire Me Series, Inspire Me: Awakening Dreams promises to be a soul-stirring addition to any poetry collection.

As the new year begins, I am excited to share a glimpse of my upcoming book, “Inspire Me: Awakening Dreams.” Within its pages, you will find a collection of heartfelt poems, including one titled “Shade of Being.” This poem delves into the complexities of human existence, exploring the various shades from beginning to end that make up our being. “Shade of Being” is a reflection on my journey of self-discovery and the power of embracing our finite nature. For those who can’t wait to dive into my upcoming book, a sneak peek of “Shade of Being” can also be found in the “Inspire Me Series: Book 1 & 2.” Let this new year be a time of inspiration, growth, and awakening as we embark on a poetic journey together.

Shade of Being

I stand on the beach, absorbing the indigo sky. The whispering breeze surrounds and envelops me as I breathe. It cools the soul. The waves creep up and work with the sand to mold my feet on earth. The Sun’s desert colors—rays of light peak through the singing ocean waves, sounds of release and content. There I feel light, floating slowly over the water. I’m not afraid as I’m swept towards the light of eternal energy. The sea creatures do a singing infinity dance by my side. The sparkling eyes of these mammals transform my essence. I’m not alone. How long I have waited to go into the depths of the ocean where emotions ease life’s pains as they bathe the skin in harmony. No entanglements, no reins holding me. I turn to see my past and see the shadows of my family and friends holding onto the remaining essence of the sand encasing my life, my experience, the memorable existence of each footstep we walked together.

Inspire Me Series: Book 1 & 2 (Amazon)

Listen to episode here

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2023 New Year Episode

Poetic Resurrection New Year's EpisodeThis is late in posting but I still wanted to wish you a Happy New Year! As the year came to an end, I wanted to wish everyone an amazing New Year filled with love, joy, prosperity, and most importantly, good health. We often take our health for granted, but it truly is the foundation for enjoying life’s many blessings.

Amidst a global pandemic, I named this extended podcast season “Life,” using it as a tool for introspection and helping others do the same. But now, as we enter a new season, I plan to shift gears and focus solely on fictional literature. We will continue to showcase authors and poets and their creative processes, while also inviting literary agents, publishers, and editors to share their insights and educate us on the industry.

This year we had amazing guests and I want to say thank you to them.

Clicking on their name will take you to the podcast page or you can view all episodes here.

Bex Rose – Poet author of Health via Poetry.

Rocco Jarman – a Poet – author of Stepping Through, Philosopher and Podcaster.

Kevin Palmieri – Founder & Co-Host of Next Level University Podcast

Kelly Keefe – Creator of The Heartspace.co, and a Reiki Master Teacher.

Jim Marshall – Author of Septemics.

Rha Arayal – a nineteen-year-old British Nepali Poet – author of Encapsulated Emotions

Cindi Buckley – Author of Love Awakens You

Phyllis Leavitt – Psychotherapist and author of America in Therapy

Rachel Hanfling – Emmy Nominated Producer and Motivational Speaker

Barbara Ann Briggs – Poet and Author Pilgrimage on the Path of Love,

William Mackenzie-Smith – Medicinal Alchemist Healing

Tune in for the new season as it should not only be entertaining but educational.

Many blessings and Happy New Year.

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Life with Bex Rose – Poet

Bex Rose, Poet and Mental Health ProfessionalIt is our pleasure to have Bex Rose, Poet and Mental Health Professional, as a guest on the Poetic Resurrection Podcast in November 2023. She shared her poem called A Subconscious Mind, which talks about depression from her book Mental Health Via Poetry. We had a fascinating conversation about the poem and her personal story of growing up in Brooklyn, New York writing poetry with Tourette’s, then transitioning to become a mental health clinician. Tune into this touching and entertaining interview to learn more about Bex’s inspiring journey.

A Subconscious Mind

What are these thoughts
The if, and, why,
What is this feeling I get
As if I’m ripping apart from inside
Why has my internal drive
Become so weak
Why am I too depressed to even open my eyes
To even sit up and think
Can’t even make it to my own kitchen sink
Not even thirsty for a drink
It’s lawless
The pressure to be human
Eat, think, sleep like a person, it’s arduous
It is not involving the effects of any one single event
I wish my time could be better spent
Society’s pages depend on a therapy book
So quick to not even take a real look
So quick to hand us the bottle than to ask us how to spell out the name
I’m not so easy to belittle with labels
Each diagnosis on paper
Can become quite easily a fable
Remedied with quick-think drugs bought from any store and self-help label
Not knowing there’s also drugs on the corners underneath the table
Waiting
For us to crave more
Why do we have to think and be challenged to want to search for more
When we’re left un-adored
In majority, for the very same reason you referred us to get help in the first place
I am not a charity case
I will not just fall in line
I will make use of this time
As I tiptoe between the tattered line
Between each tear-stained work of mine
I speak
For others whose medication has rendered them mute and subconscious
How dare you try to band-aid depression as if it’s a rouse
I think rather that it’s abuse
To be this overlooked
Well I stand here let-loose
I will tell you with my rhymes
The enforced societal standard behind each bind
Left on the “mentally unequipped”
Considered Drones of the unkind
These vastly purged minds
It’s exhausting
Left unchecked it could be an easy departing
Why should I let that be the case too
I am as much a human being as are you
If I had a presumed fully capable mind and funds I guess I would sue
But you’d stay there thoughtless
Wondering how this mess started to involve you
Feeling targeted you alone
Truth oftentimes is that
You don’t even bother unless it happens to one of your own

Bex Rose is a born and raised Brooklynite and native New Yorker who is both openly gay and active in the social work community. As a Licensed Mental Health Professional (LMHC), Bex is a Program Director for a NYC based non-for-profit. She has a background in family focused evidence-based practices as well as upper leadership administrative management. Additionally, her work extends beyond community-based services and extends into her private practice – Candor’s Call for leadership development, coaching and consultation.

Despite a dysfunctional childhood and diagnosis of OCD and Tourette’s she has been able to cultivate success in her field and through many social media platforms. Her most recent book “Mental Health via Poetry” speaks to the duality of a role as a clinician and experience living with Tourette’s. Bex hopes to utilize social media platforms to continue promoting healthy conversations, collaborations and content around mental health, creativity and positive representation.

Listen to her episode here

Get her book: Mental Health via Poetry

https://linktr.ee/Bexrose

https://www.candorscall.com/

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Life with Rha Arayal – Poet

Rha Arayal - Poet

Our guest for June is the poet Rha Arayal. We had a captivating talk about her poem ‘The Girl That I Am/The Girl That I Should Be,’ how to handle growing up bicultural, being published at sixteen, and more. It was delightful to speak with her; it’s amazing to see someone that age demonstrate such inner strength.

Listen to Episode

Rha Arayal is a 19-year-old British Nepali writer living in Wales. She enjoys examining the balance of nature and nurture, especially the notion of an Asian Welsh identity, as well as exploring racism and kindness and other aspects of humanity in her writing. Her debut poetry collection, Encapsulated Emotions, was published with Genz Publishing in 2021. When she’s not writing, she loves watching American vampire shows, practicing martial arts and buying second hand books.

Listen to Podcast

the girl that I am/the girl that I should be

she crouches on the floor wearing mud-encrusted flip-flops
there is a red shawl wrapped tightly around her waist
it holds her brick phone which has run out of battery
it holds her aching back like PVA glue wrapping around jigsaw pieces

she reminds herself that she is no one
just a village girl who cuts grass for the cow
her mother milks it and loves it
her father carries the milk on a motorcycle into town

this world may be alien to you
but it is almost home to me
but it nearly happened to me
but it also never did
and for that, I am grateful

she isn’t scared of snakes winding up her legs
her skin is slightly cracked and is darker than mine
sun cream is too expensive and the village shops only sell instant noodles

she isn’t afraid of cows or spiders or the dark
they stomp and crawl and engulf her life
they are a crucial part of her life
they are alien to me

so many sources of brutality
of nature and of rich cultural love
surround her
like her red shawl which is split at the seams

her grandmother owns the other half
my grandmother, who cries to me on the phone
my grandmother, who I hope is hanging on
like crimson threads swaying in the wind
oblivious to snakes and cows and spiders and the dark

Instagram @encapsulated_emotions

Get her first poetry book Encapsulated Emotions on Amazon

 

 

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CANVASREBEL Stories & Insights – Meet Sonia Iris Lozada

Sonia Iris Lozada CanvaRebel articleCANVASREBEL Stories & Insights article entitled Meet Sonia Iris Lozada. We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sonia Iris Lozada a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

“I decided to follow my heart, even though it seemed like a strange decision since I have bills to pay and food to put on the table. I went through a stretch of time during which I lost sight of the joy found in acting and writing. At that point, I viewed my career with a seriousness born out of the need to make money. Yet, I haven’t made my living from this yet. What I discovered, however, is that I don’t have to stop being an actor, writer or poet; these things are true passions for me, and when I stopped trying so hard to make money from them, suddenly the joy reappeared and I started booking projects again. There are miracles everywhere if we just look for them.”

Quote: “Sometimes I feel like a cocoon of chains wrapped around my soul. The cocoon of perceptions and beliefs.”

Read the article

Check out Poetry/Stories

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VoyageLA Conversations: Sonia I Lozada

Sonia Iris Lozada

Sonia Iris Lozada is featured on a VoyageLA Conversations article. She is a podcaster, poet and performer fascinated with perceptions of time, history, dreams, psychology, and the metaphysical. Most of all, she’s fascinated by interesting people, the guests on the podcast, Poetic Resurrection, Chica and the Man and Overheard at Chica’s Café, compliment the warmth, conversation, and genuine concern for what they have to say. As an actor for both stage and screen, she’s appeared in films such as Out of the Wild and TV shows like Bosch Legacy and many others, this plays a role in my ability to entice guests to share what they know and feel with listeners.

“Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I don’t know about good or bad luck. I believe in the adage that when you are ready, the teacher will appear. So many times, I had wondered, what am I doing wrong because I was working so hard and nothing was materializing from my efforts? Then I picked up meditating and practicing gratitude for what I had, and situations started flowing. Grieving Dreams was a podcast episode I recorded on the Poetic Resurrection podcast, regarding giving up on your dreams and passions because they weren’t working out.

What I realized was my perceptions of what I expected. I wanted to make a living out of being an actor, but the truth was I wasn’t going to and that was heartbreaking. I just changed my perception to when auditions and roles come along, I will do them. Letting go of this has been a godsend because now I’m working more acting gigs. Just changing my perception made a world of difference.”

Article appeared on November 18, 2022

Read the article

Check out poetry and stories

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Colors of Life – Christoph Jenkins

Christoph JenkinsIn honor of Black History Month, we close season three of the Poetic Resurrection Podcast with Christoph Jenkins. Haiku poet and founder of The Poet Life, Christoph Jenkins and I discuss various subjects and learned how poets can have an income from being a poet. Great information for poets on this podcast episode.

Christoph Jenkins, Founder & CEO of The Poet Life, is a poet and entrepreneur. He began writing poetry in grade school and soon found it to be his passion. Running The Poet Life has led him to become an advocate in the community and a builder of the Poetry Industry. His company has three pillars that start with the letter “E”; EDUCATE, ENGAGE, ENTERTAIN. The Poet Life educates through their online university, Poet Life University where they teach poets how to start a poetry career. There is also a non-profit arm called Poet Life Academy where they teach students, K-12, how to express themselves through poetry. Christoph is the host of the Poet Life Podcast where he has conversations with poets around the world who have made major headway in the poetry industry. In addition, The Poet Life host their annual festival called the Poet Life Fest in different cities around the country.

Surround yourself with
People and things that grow you
Either grow or die

Imposter syndrome
Is attempting to play you
It can’t outcast you

If you are dreaming
Without a plan to fulfill
Said dream, keep dreaming

@ThePoetLife

ThePoetLife.com 

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The Soul of a Relationship with Melissa Da Silva

The Soul of a Relationship with Melissa Da Silva. We discuss her book Lose Me. Her journey from a toxic relationship to self-acceptance and love. We discuss grieving of love lost.

Melissa Da Silva is a Canadian writer who grew up in Toronto, ON. She went to Humber College for Business.

Melissa’s been writing since she was 18. In 2020 she self-published her first book called Lose me. It’s about a toxic relationship and the importance of loving yourself. Lose me debuted as a top seller on Amazon. Inspired by her own life events, she hopes people can relate to her relationship struggles and life.

Listen to Podcast Here

https://www.mdswrites.com/

https://www.instagram.com/mds.writes/

Books available by author:

Lose Me:  on Amazon

Last Kiss: on Amazon