[Holiday Reading List] POETRY on RAIOT

On RAIOT, poetry leads the pack in rejection rate. Our mailbox is full of poetic submissions, reminders about submissions, peeved queries about our silence – poets are a touchy lot. But still we masochistically persist in our obsession with poetry. Although we began well in 2016 with a ‘Sahbiej’ verse from Khasi Hills, slowly our offerings started becoming topical and seditious. Even earthquake in Shillong had a poetic response. Anyway 2017 may be better for poetry, if the poets do not desert the rude lot at RAIOT.

Wednesday, January 6 – Ode to my town (by Silvester Phanbuh)

Monday, January 18 – Death of a Dalit (by Abul Kalam Azad)

Saturday, January 23 – I am Woman (by Gertrude Lamare)

Tuesday, January 26 – Song of the Dog and the Republic (by Namdeo Dhasal)

Friday, February 19 – Do not ask me to sing your national anthem (by Akhu Chingangbam)

Sunday, February 21 – I WANT TO BE KILLED BY AN INDIAN BULLET (by Thangjam Ibopishak)

Sunday, March 13 – There is a Season (by Brinda Bose)

Monday, March 14 – A Letter from an Accomplice (or ‘Maappusakshi’) (by Jasun Chelat)

Sunday, March 20 – Ballad of a Hangman (by Raiot Collective)

Sunday, March 27 – Our time is here – 2 poems(by Goirick Brahmachari)

Thursday, March 31 – Are You Deserved? (by Murali Ramathoti)

Sunday, April 10 – Song of a Kashmiri Auto (riksha) (by Ather Zia)

Wednesday, April 13 – Shillong Earthquake Poem (by Lalnunsanga Ralte)

Saturday, April 16 – 1989 Calendar of Shillong Poets & Artists (by Raiot Collective)

Saturday, April 23 – Love & Books (by Sutinder Noor)

Tuesday, April 26 – Why more judges? (by Amitabh)

Wednesday, May 4 – Pijush Dhar doesn’t live in Shillong anymore (by Robin Ngangom)

Saturday, May 21 – No one dies in the city during a festival (by Nabanita Kanungo)

Thursday, May 26 – A Made in India Poem (by Lalnunsanga Ralte)

Friday, May 27 – Shillong’s Fever (by Robin Ngangom)

Sunday, July 3 – Long Shadows of Reminiscence (by Kamal Kumar Tanti)

Sunday, July 17 – Kashmir – an Assamese poem (by Sananta Tanty)

Sunday, July 24 – Srinagar Curfew Poems (by Shrimoyee Nandini Ghosh)

Wednesday, July 27 – AFSPA why don’t you go fuck yourself? A Song from Manipur (by Akhu Chingangbam)

Sunday, August 7 – 4 Delhi poems (by Abhimanyu Kumar)

Sunday, August 7 – Believers – a poem (by Ashfaq Saraf)

Sunday, August 14 – Khairlanji 2016 (by S. Anand)

Monday, August 15 – Happy Independence Day India (by Akhu Chingangbam)

Friday, August 19 – India! This Is Your Democracy (by Raiot Collective)

Tuesday, August 23 – Sur Phylla (by Balarisha Nongrum)

Wednesday, October 26 – An Old Bearded Poet Walks the City (by Hoshang Merchant)

Sunday, November 6 – Dream (by Karthik Venkatesh)

Sunday, November 6 – The flight of the dead eight (by Abul Kalam Azad)

Saturday, November 19 – being of faith (by Ather Zia)

Thursday, November 24 – On Learning of Leonard Cohen’s Death (by Souradeep Roy)

Sunday, December 18 – Reimagining Movies – 4 poems (by Goirick Brahmachari)

Sunday, December 18 – Five poems by U Soso Tham (by Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih)

Thursday, December 29 – Last Letter (by Karthik Venkatesh)