Listen to Zilka Joseph on The Power of Poetry
The Power of Poetry: an interview with Zilka Joseph – Culturico’s Podcast Culturico‘s poetry and literature editor Gerfried Ambrosch sat down with award-winning poet Zilka Joseph to discuss her latest book, a collection of poems entitled In Our Beautiful Bones, as well as her journey both as a writer and as an immigrant to the…

Zilka Joseph shares her favorite books of poetry and hybrid essays on DesiBooks’ Podcast
From DesiBooks’ Podcast: “#FiveDesiFaves: Zilka Joseph, author of “In Our Beautiful Bones”, shares her favorite books of poetry and hybrid essays” https://desibooks.co/fivedesifaves-zilka-joseph/ From the introduction to the podcast: Today, in the #FiveDesiFaves segment, we have Zilka Joseph, who has a new poetry collection out titled In Our Beautiful Bones. She’s sharing her five favorite desi…

In Our Beautiful Bones – Zilka Joseph
Poetry. Paper, Perfect Bound. 104 pages 2021, ISBN: 978-1-952781-07-0 $19.95 + S&H In Our Beautiful Bones traces various stages in the poet’s journey as an immigrant from India who makes a new life in the US, and her encounters with racism and otherness. In it she explores her Bene Israel roots and ancestors, her life in Kolkata, the influences of British rule and a missionary education, her growing knowledge of what racism and marginalization means, how Indians and Indian culture is perceived and represented. While delving unflinchingly into the violence and global impact of colonialism, the weaponization of the English Language, the evils of tyranny and White Supremacy, and the struggles of oppressed peoples everywhere, she creates powerful collages from mythology, folklore, fairy tales, Scripture, world history and culture, literature, music, food, and current events. Traditional and experimental forms, sensory riches, wit and word play, and an unwavering and clear voice make this book a compelling read. These poems expose prejudice on an international as well as a personal level, and lead the reader to face harsh truths— insults, insensitivity, injustice, ignorance, discrimination, subtle and deliberate aggressions that immigrants, people of color, and the oppressed face daily, and wrestles with her own complex emotions, the current threats to Democracy both in the US—her adopted home, and her native India, her love for both countries. In Our Beautiful Bones is a multi-layered, sharply ironic and sometimes pathos-filled critique of the world, and at the same time it is visionary and a triumph of the human spirit.…

Ellen Stone reads from “What Is in the Blood”
On March 5th 2020 Ellen Stone launched her first poetry collection “What Is in the Blood” at the Literati Bookstore in Ann Arbor. Literati included Ellen in Episode 31 of their “Shelf Talking” podcast on April 10th Here is Ellen’s reading from “What Is in the Blood”. The reading lasts 12 minutes and 8 seconds…