Painting with Words: Matwaala--South Asian Diaspora Poetry Reading

Gallery North is pleased to present Painting with Words: Matwaala--South Asian Diaspora Poetry Reading. The poets who will read their original poems are: Ravi Shankar, Usha Akella, Sasha Parmasad, Saleem Peeradina, Pramila Venkateswaran, Varsha Saraiya Shah, and Ralph Nazareth. They will offer us a glimpse into the richly textured life and landscape of India, the Caribbean, and the United States. Their exploration of a range of themes and forms will invite readers to taste images and characters, at once familiar and strange, enhanced by the poets’ imagination and versatile poetic craft that embrace Indian, Caribbean, and American literary traditions. Saleem Peeradina, originally from Mumbai and now living in Michigan, is much anthologized and internationally known. His latest poetry collection is Final Cut. Ravi Shankar, a resident of Connecticut, whose current book is Andal: The Autobiography of a Goddess, is a familiar name in American poetry circles. At home in festivals and readings worldwide, Usha Akella of Austin, Texas, author of A Rosary of Latitudes, is an award winning poet who is currently doing her M.S., Creative Writing, in Cambridge University, England. Varsha Saraiya Shah, a poet from Houston,Texas, is the author of Voices, recently released from Finishing Line Press. Publisher of a unique poetry press, Yuganta Press, Ralph Nazareth from Connecticut via Mangalore brings poetry and activism together. Sasha Parmasad, winner of Poetry International prize, is originally from Trinidad and now lives and teaches in New Jersey. Pramila Venkateswaran, poet laureate of Suffolk County, Long Island (2013- 15) is an award winning poet originally from Mumbai, whose recent book is Thirteen Days to Let Go.