Pushcart Prize

I am SO excited to have been nominated for a Pushcart Prize for my poem, Mumma, published in The Pedestal Magazine! Thank you for the honour, Susan! I'm still speechless!

carte blanche magazine, AIDS, and the Yellow Door

How exciting! carte blanche magazine has published my poem, Nomad, in their fall '08 issue!

Also, if you're free this Thursday, try to come out to McGill's AIDS fundraiser at Gert's Bar, where I'll be performing a few spoken word pieces! Find out the details here!

And don't forget my reading at the Yellow Door on December 11th! Find out the details here!

Find out the details about all of my upcoming shows here!

Vallum Magazine's Cafe/Culture Reading Series

For some reason, I can't find the post where I talk about my performance at Vallum Magazine's Cafe/Culture Reading Series on Saturday, October 24th at 7PM. Well then, here it is! I hope all you Montrealers get a chance to come out and enjoy a nice evening of poetry! See you there!

it was Throw-mania!

Sunday night's show exceeded all hopes and dreams! Not only did I get to record an awesome CD with the Throw Collective, I got to share a stage with more than 15 unbelievable poets! A huge thank you to Chris Masson who invited me to be on the CD, and to the other poets for pouring their heart out to inspire the masses, including me! Can't wait for the next show!!!

another beautiful lawn chair soirée (without the lawn chairs)

I'm glad I didn't give in to my exhaustion and instead joined Jan at the lawn chair soirée yesterday! It was a great night of poetry (as usual) and the wonderful feedback I got from the poets and the audience was so encouraging...

Thank you again, Jan, for hosting such a pleasant monthly event!

3, 2, 1, Throw!

Come out on October 19th to Casa Del Popolo at 7PM to see me perform with the Throw Poetry Collective of Montreal! This is one show you definitely don't want to miss - it is going to be unbelievable!

Great Poetry Festival

The Montreal Public Poetry Festival was fantastic!!!

That Brown @$!@%&! and I rocked the stage together in what felt like such short sets! The other poets were amazing, and so warm and encouraging!

A huge thank you must go out to Jack Locke, who put his heart and soul into making this event the success it was!

I can't wait for the 2009 festival!

the lawn chair soirée

yesterday was spectacular. i had the opportunity to "headline" at the lawn chair soirée poetry evening at arts café and was touched and inspired by all of the beautiful poets who performed. when i got up to say my piece (well... pieceS), a sea of open hearts looked back at me from the audience. the poets and audience members were so welcoming and encouraging, i just wanted to hug each and every one of them! i was even asked to do a reprise and go up after the headliners and open mic-ers had had the chance to read - and i did!

we often don't realize how important it is to spend time amongst like-minded people. i consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to read alongside jan, vincenzo, collette, ellie, and to have met so many of the other poets who made up this beautiful evening, including jack and elise. many of the poets will be performing in the montreal public poetry festival sep 26-28, and it will be well worth the time to go see them...

thank you so much, jan, for putting together this monthly evening of words, and i look forward to the next soirée on october 15th!

Yellow Door Poetry and Prose

Woohoo, I have another performance!

On December 11, 2008 at 7:00 PM, I'll be reading at the Yellow Door Poetry and Prose evening!

Thank you, Ilona!

Upcoming Performances

I'm excited to be signing up for a lot of performances in the coming months! Here is the schedule so far, if anyone is in town and can make it - would love to see you there!

September 17, 2008, 7:30 PM

• the lawn chair soirée at Arts Café, 201 Fairmount West, Montreal, QC

September 26, 2008, 7:20 PM

• Montreal Public Poetry Festival at Cafe Culturel SABA, 5124-A Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, QC

September 27, 2008, 9:00 PM

• Montreal Public Poetry Festival at Cafe Culturel SABA, 5124-A Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, QC

September 28, 2008, 12:00 PM

• Montreal Public Poetry Festival at Cafe Culturel SABA, 5124-A Sherbrooke St. West, Montreal, QC

October 3, 2008, 9:00 PM

• Indyish / POP Montreal at Les Saints, 30 St. Catherine, corner St. Laurent, Montreal, QC

Montreal Public Poetry Festival

I'm excited to be performing at the Montreal Public Poetry Festival from September 26th - 28th in Montreal. That Brown @$!@%&! and I will be enticing the audiences with three spoken word shows. Details to come!

Check it out!

Call for a Montreal musician and a dancer (two people)

Hello readers! I'm putting a call out to musicians and dancers:

I am looking for some world music and dance to accompany me in a show in Montreal where I will be performing spoken word... I would like to collaborate on a piece (as in build it together). I am looking to create something unique - bharat natyam or flamenco are just some ideas that come to mind - so if you're interested - contact me at nachna {at} gmail {dot} com soon! The show is October 3rd!

Cahoots Magazine

Cahoots Magazine has published my poem, security blanket , in their August issue! Thank you, Carla!

August 17th at Jello Bar!

I'm excited to be performing at Rhythm and Rhymes at Jello Bar in Montreal on August 17th! The event starts at 7PM, and runs until around 10PM... so if you're in the area, please come by and support all the great performers!

Randy Pausch and Mattie Stepanek

You may not have heard about Mattie Stepanek if you didn't watch Oprah at some point in 2003-2004, and you may not have heard about Randy Pausch, either. But having heard of both of them and remembering their stories always brings me back to reality - a life goal I often forget, sometimes ignore, and the rest of the time, try to live: To Have My Life Be An Inspiration To Others. Both of them passed on: Mattie in 2004, just shy of 14, from a rare form of muscular dystrophy; Randy today, at 47, from an incurable form of pancreatic cancer.

I'm writing about these two inspirations because we often forget that we are all here on the verge of death, and yet it seems we never actually choose life. "When I get some time" just keeps getting pushed away until time just decides to strike back. And then we're gone.

If nothing else can be learned from these two souls, just remember this: Right now is the only time you know you definitely have - everything else is an uncertainty.

So excuse me while I get back to it.

Call for Montreal Spoken Word Poets

I'm looking for a couple of spoken word poets to join me in a show in Montreal September 26-28, 2008. If you're interested, contact me at nachna {at} gmail {dot} com.

Selma...

Ok, I rarely talk about favourite things because I have no favourites, but I came across a book that might just be one of the best little books I have ever read! The book is called Selma and was written by Jutta Bauer. Pick it up - please! It will just warm your heart :)

Some San Fran words... and a little delayed news!

While in San Fran, I figured I'd try my word at an event in Oakland. The EastSide Arts Alliance put on a nice little show - good to see the young crowd exploring the arts! It was a good opportunity to hear another city's words!

I also realized I forgot to thank Robin at The Pound in Montreal for hosting a great show and allowing some of us spoken word artists to perform a couple of months ago! Better late than never!

The Pedestal Magazine

The Pedestal Magazine published my poem, Mumma, in their summer issue!!!

Thank you, Susan!

Panoramic... again!

I am so happy (and lucky) I was able to squeeze in another little Panoramic Poetry last Friday! Each time I go to a spoken word event, I am re-floored! The poets are just unbelievable! This time, there were two 17-year-olds (who were at a poetry event on a Friday night instead of out with friends as others their age would be!) and they just blew me away! And let's not leave out the other poets, who inspired us beyond belief. They say poets are the new prophets and they are so right!

I feel so privileged to have performed amongst such talented artists. And to boot, our host, Crucial, even made a special request for one of my poems (and a member of the audience told me they had been talking about me all week!)! Wow! If I ever need a confidence boost, I know exactly where to go!

Thanks again, Lamar and Crucial, for allowing me to be a part of the beautiful future you are building!

Panoramic Poetry and Poetic Minds Plus

This weekend was a double-whammy! On Friday night, I had the pleasure (and honour) of performing at Panoramic Poetry, hosted by October Gallery in Philadelphia. Our host, Crucial Poet, and the unbelievably talented poets who performed, were so encouraging! Everyone was a feature poet (including me!) and one of the traditions is to throw your pen at the stage if you like the poet's work. For a writer, this is a true honour because the poet in the audience is giving you their pen, signifying they would rather you write with it than them; and the poet on stage gets to keep the pens thrown at them. Did I get any, you ask? Yes - 6!!! I am still feeling humbled by this and will keep the pens as a reminder of why I continue to write.

On Saturday afternoon, I called in to Lady Blue's radio show, Poetic Minds Plus. A soft-spoken woman, Lynn Blue welcomed me with open arms and I was so happy she remembered meeting me a week prior at Aziza's! I performed one of my signature pieces, at her request, and felt great when she read back the feedback she was receiving on it.

Thank you, Lamar, Crucial, and Lady Blue, for giving me the opportunity to express myself and perform my work! I look forward to meeting you all again at shows in the future!

Aziza's... again!

Sometimes, silence is the only language that can do justice to a moment. I felt that moment at Aziza's on Friday, where I was welcomed so warmly by Aziza, herself. I brought two pieces to perform, which I did, and then, to my humble surprise, was requested to perform a piece I had performed at my previous visit. A request by Aziza? I bent over backwards to perform it!

With a huge, warm hug, Aziza told me how she was so pleased I had returned, and that she had been raving about my work since she met me two months ago. Who wouldn't be humbled and honoured?

I met poets and artists the likes of Lady Dove, Lady Blue, Lamont Steptoe, and so many others that inspired and elated...

I am so thankful to have made it out on Friday night - it was a night to remember. Aziza, thank you for hosting such an inspiring and uplifting event. I look forward to many more...

Website Revamp!

It's time for spring cleaning and I decided "out with the old, and in with the new". So I've revamped my entire website! Take a look!

Inscribed Magazine

Inscribed Magazine has published my poem, How To Set the Price Of Leaves, in June's issue and it was voted favourite poem of the issue so I am their spotlight author of the month!

Thank you kindly, Kyle and Randy!

Aziza's

First Fridays seems to be the place to be in Philly if you're an artist, and I got my first taste of it last weekend when I went to Aziza's First Fridays at the Jose Seabourne Art Gallery.

I have been so lucky to have been a part of so many different spoken word events in the past few months, each drastically different from the last, but Aziza's did something to the soul... (not to say the others didn't!)

She came in with her musical instruments and we started off with a jam session like no other. Her poetry, together with the poetry of the other artists, resonated to a place deep within. But the highlight of the night was the couple who got up and performed impromptu, and to whom I bow down and tip my hat all at the same time. Wow! I wish I knew their names, but to hear their words was treat enough. When I meet people who can stand up and bleed the arts without shedding a drop, I know I am in the presence of greatness. I can't say enough about all of the poets who stood up and said their piece, but I am still wishing I could replay that night every night.

Yes, I did stand up and do my thing, and thank goodness for the great feedback, but the poets with whom I shared the stage all showed me what true literary greatness and deep passion meant. Thank you, Aziza, for a most memorable night. And I will definitely be there next month!

Poetry Ink at Robin's Bookstore

It felt like I participated in a little part of history at the Poetry Ink event at Robin's Bookstore in Philadelphia on Sunday. This annual gathering of over 100 poets for a day of reading has been happening for 12 years now, and this year, my name was on the list too!

Thank you, Larry Robin, for the great opportunity to make a little history!

Art really does Matter

A Friday night I won't soon forget...

I happened to be in town to catch a Spoken Word event held through Concordia's Art Matters festival at the Hive on the Loyola Campus. And umm... thank God!

Michelle (I can still hear her saying it: Meeeeeeeeshelllll) was so warm and inviting and the Throw Collective and Capital Poetry Collective made me feel like I found home in the middle of a crazy winter storm, and when I walked in, mom was warming me up a cup of hot chocolate and dad was roasting marshmallows by the fireplace, as if they knew I was going to show up at any moment.

The event blew my words right out of my mouth (and those who know me know how hard that is to do) and inspired me beyond the realm of inspiration into pure spirituality.

Yes, I did get up and speak my own word. The energy, the encouragement, the laughter, the finger-snapping, the music, the letters put together to form words with the hope and the inspiration and the peace and the heightened sense of just being... wow. I stumbled upon a little piece of paradise and got a new sense of resolve that *this* is where I was meant to be.

I bow down in grace and appreciation. Thank you, Michelle, for a Friday night to remember. Thank you, Concordia, for succeeding in proving that Art really does Matter.

Speaking the Word

I have recently become more interested in the Spoken Word scene and tried my hand at an open mic at the Nuyorican in NYC. It was amazing!

Soooo I attended a poetry slam at Infusion Coffee and Tea Gallery in Philly, where I participated in my first slam! It was exhilirating making it to the second round among poets I could never imagine rubbing shoulders with! The girls were unbelievable - leaving us speechless until we roared into an applause after every performance.

I also read at the Cornelia Street Cafe, in the presence of some wonderful poets!

I am so thankful to have had the opportunity to participate and a huge thanks goes out to the Nish Pugh and Sherod Smallman, who welcomed a nervous me with open arms and a huge dose of support!

Can't wait for the next one!

Happy New Year

i thought to wish you wealth this new year
but we are all richer than we choose to see
i thought to wish you prosperity
but success is measured differently between you and me

i thought to wish you sustained health
but there are others who need my prayers more
i thought to wish you true happiness
but only you control the happiness you have in store

i thought to wish you peace this new year
but there are children in this world who know only unrest
i thought to wish you lessons to learn
but there are families whose every moment of life is a test

i thought to wish you endless love
but there are those who have lost their everyone
i thought to wish you continued growth
but your growth and mine follow different suns

i thought to wish you timeless strength
but there are some who will need more than their share
i thought to wish you all these things
but i thought again, for it would be unfair

there are riches and beauty and success in your life
you are free from violence, free from strife

you have love, you have joy, you have strength, you have health
you have family and friends, you have untapped wealth

and all of those things you wish you could own
are illusions of a better life unknown

instead i'll wish that you could unfold
the glory your life already holds

so although i thought to wish you all things great
i wish you awareness in 2008


love rachna