Rochelle Potkar's Blog, page 27

Come to ‘In search of strange flowers’ Sunday July 26 11:30 am IST

‘In search of strange flowers’ – Contemporary Indian English poetry.

Hi friends, do join us at this live session at the Glass House Festival 2020.

https://www.facebook.com/ArtMantram/

Q&A for 15 minutes at the end.

 

Range – derange – estrange (ha ha!)

A male poet whose silo and gossip network I don’t belong to has been dissing my poetry, saying it is good but I don’t explore & it has no range. Not being in his silo hurts so much? Closed mind

Manifesto (ha ha!)

Dear Friends,

Thank you so much for bringing this to my notice – about the male poet who for years has been dissing and berating my work.

To be honest, I have fleetingly interacted with him – just once – and have no memory of his poetry.

Reported that he says my work “is not something that stays” or “there’s nothing to take away from ” and that “I do not explore”. Many big names have said unsavory things about his work too in whispering corridors, such as – “soulless belch and burp /linguistic tripe and gripe/ wannabe fluff” – but I never amplified it – Why talk ill about anybody, was my logic.

I realized the same generosity is not meted out to me.

I have been complimented for my range of themes by renowned poets across the world – and though I am being pushed here just to prove a point, I will share few blurbs I received over my recent work. I write on themes from the personal, interpersonal, social, climate change, to the political and hope to explore far more, deeper and wider.

It is possible this male poet is clouded and judgmental, blinded with cynicism. One needs an open mind to read work written by people who are not your friends and tribe members. And that is the issue! A closed, bitter mind.

[Also, I read his best friends work – page after page of melancholia – a poetry book at the end of which a reader will be infused with suicidal tendencies. This was the first book that trumped all self-help books and the notion that you can’t contract depression and a mental disorder after reading a book. Why don’t you tell this suicidal poet-friend of yours to explore more and write on sunshine, optimism? Because he has grandfather-blurbs with him? So he is exempt from exploration, and can continue depressing readers? And here suicide prevention cells are working overtime!]

i have won awards, prizes and been supported by well-renowned institutions and readers.

In my own opinion my work can get better – and i am working hard toward this

Asia’s first Feminist Poetry Fest

We are delighted to announce Asia’s first Feminist Poetry Fest. The festival is a celebration and showcase of the work of feminist poets from India and overseas. We are building a community of feminist writers, artists and leaders, united in their goal to end gender inequality through the power of storytelling and poetry.

For more – on Facebook.

Click the link to get your festival passes at Insider.

#feministpoetryfest #shethepeople

 

Welcoming young poets to ‘Lockdown Musings’ – a poetry competition

Welcoming all young poets to this competition by V.G. Vaze college. Gladly looking forward to reading your entries, as one of the judges.

* * *

Department of English and Department of Mass Media of KET’s V. G. Vaze College of Arts, Science & Commerce (Autonomous), Mumbai is organising a National-Level Poetry Competition _*Lockdown Musings*_ in association with industry partner Kitab Khana.

While we are all isolated in this perilous time, the global society looks up to its artists who can help console, inspire and even re-imagine the world. We are eager to hear from you, young poets, for your response to this crisis.

For registration and submission of entries, kindly click the hyperlinks in the brochure.

There is no registration or participation fee.

The competition is for all students enrolled in undergraduate or postgraduate programs

All participants will be awarded E-Certificates immediately after submitting their entries.

*Link to complete brochure:* https://bit.ly/3eAKi91

 

Isolation Break, Episode 3 is here.

For those of yours who missed this session late last night, here it is:

The New York Writers Workshop (NYWW) and Asia Pacific Writers and Translators (APWT) hosted the third chapter of Isolation Break, featuring international writers.

This episode included Rochelle Potkar, Mags Webster, Kavita A. Jindal, Sara F. Costa and Usha Akella.

 

Isolation Break v. 3

Please join us for the New York Writers Workshop (NYWW) and Asia Pacific Writers and Translators (APWT) as we host the third chapter of Isolation Break, featuring some of the finest international writers. This episode will include Rochelle Potkar, Mags Webster, Kavita A. Jindal, Sara F. Costa and Usha Akella

Posted by New York Writers Workshop on Sunday, June 28, 2020

 

SheThePeopleTV interviews me.

Interviewed at ShethePeople by the incisive Archana Pai Kulkarni. Thank you!

Write Without Fear: You Will Be Judged In Any Case, Says Poet-Author Rochelle Potkar

Isolation break: poetry readings [28th June, 10 pm IST]

Come ye’ all, drop by to our readings, if you miss your flights. We’ll catch some (of imagination). You would have to do the calculations on time for this one!

28th June 2020, I think that’s 10:30 pm IST.

Live on FB, Insta & elsewhere via StreamYard, click here.

 

The Brave New World of Goan Writing & Art 2020 releases!

The Brave New World of Goan Writing & Art 2020 is a collection of short fiction, poetry, memoir, travelogue, essay, reviews and interviews by contemporary Goan writers and artists, derived from the João Roque Literary Journal.

This is a book you cannot miss out on, if Goa and it’s culture and history interests you.

Buy your copy online -at thedogearsbookshop.com/bravenewworld2020

or drop by the bookshop to purchase one. Copies are limited, so hurry up!

##thebestofgoanwriting, #aboutgoa #goa, #anthology #travelogue, #memoirs #curatedfiction

To submit to the journal, click.

Announcement: ‘Architectural Poetry Competition Series, 2nd Cycle’ opens

Dear friends,

Welcoming you to participate in the ‘Architectural Poetry Competition Series, 2nd Cycle’ where poetry meets architecture, with Pappal Suneja and Twinkle Kataria.

Guidelines here.