Young Feminist Poets Capturing Readers in the Digital Age
Young female poets are using the internet — specifically Twitter, Tumblr and Instagram, in new ways to spread poetry. These poets utilize social media to reach new readers in an unprecedented manner. Rupi Kapur, for example, has been dubbed the queen of “Instapoets,” a new trend in which poets share their work via the popular photo-sharing app Instagram. Her large Instagram following has resulted in her debut poetry collection Milk and Honey selling half a million copies.
In this video published shortly after Milk and Honey was released, Kapur speaks on her work, and why she decided to share her poems.
“Because you know it’s going to make people uncomfortable. Because you know that not everyone will agree with it. Because you know that you feel it and you’re afraid of it. So people need to hear that.”
On the Resurrection of Poetry in 2016
Following election day, poetry has exploded. Many are using poems as a way of speaking out about what is happening in the world. Through social media, these new poems are gaining traction quickly, leading some to wonder if poetry is on the rise.
Dutch-Jewish Writers Leave Publisher
Four writers have left prominent Dutch publisher De Bezige Bij. Among those who have left are Jessica Durlacher, a celebrated Jewish author, and the award-winning novelist Tommy Wieringa. Their walkout was spawned by the De Bezige Bij’s publication of “Plea for Radicalisation” by Dyab Abou Jahjah. Jahjah is a Lebanon-born activist from Belgium who has called for violent attacks on Israeli Jews.
National Novel Writing Month in a Castle
National Novel Writing Month is coming to a close. Over the past month, ten authors have been participating in NaNoWriMo at Château de Cadrès. They come from eight different countries and are writing on a variety of topics. You can follow their adventures in the castle with the hashtag #nanocastle.
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Amidst everything going on politically, it is easy to forget that the holiday season is quickly approaching. Don’t let it sneak up on you. As you’re beginning to shop for holiday presents for the literary fiend in your life, check out these lists for some inspiration:
The non-western books that every student should read
Emily Ramser is an undergraduate studying English, Creative Writing, and Religion at Salem College in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Arts in English and Creative Writing, and is expected to graduate in May of 2017. Some of her inspirations include Thornton Wilder, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Bhanu Kapil, Andrea Gibson, Gabriel Gudding, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Gail Simone, and Alfred Lord Tennyson. Check out her black out poetry collection I Forgot How to Write When They Diagnosed Me. You can find more of her work at her blog.
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