Taz Rahman Writer

It is always a pleasure to read in Cardiff's friendliest independent bookshop, Book Space Cardiff and I am the featured poet on their monthly poetry night on Wednesday, 15th October: https://www.bookspacecardiff.co.uk/products/poetry-open-mic-october-tickets  

It is always a privilege to be supporting an emerging writer. Freya Blyth is one of the writers selected for the 2025-26   Representing Wales annual writer development programme. I am delighted to have been asked to be her writing  mentor .     The following is feature on Freya Blyth at the Just Another Poet Youtube poetry channel:  

I was delighted tp read at the Senedd on the 2nd October 2025 as part of the Saudha International Literature Festival alongside Peter Finch, Fiona Samson, Clare Potter and others.  

I am reading at the Small City Bookshop in Bristol on Thursday 11th September. It will be a celebration of new Welsh poetry talent and my co-readers are Rhian Elizabeth and Joshua Jones. Tickets available from  https://www.thesmallcitybookshop.co.uk/event-details/poetry-evening-showcasing-welsh-talent?fbclid=IwY2xjawMCz8VleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFxY0FBQ08yZ0dMREwwQzFRAR6-ip6q__hkRMhM74uGLUY8kZUR7Y71d68a9b_7_glGxyjI2EkGFe-Jjg-Zng_aem_PKAAAaIoDElpHRb6dhNNGw     Post reading celebration with Carrie Etter!

I am delighted to be reading alongside the wonderful Wendy Allen again for the first time in two years. We shall be reading at Cardiff's newest independent bookshop Book Space Cardiff, 26a Crwys Road, CF24 4NL. Tickets can be booked from https://www.bookspacecardiff.co.uk/products/wendy-allen-and-taz-rahman-poetry-ticket  

I am  incredibly excited to be the creative keynote speaker at next Thursday's (19th June) Cardiff University School of English, Communication and Philosophy 's ENCAPsulate 2025 conference. I'll be reading poems from 'East of the Sun, West of the Moon', a couple of new poems, as well as discussing my interest in eco-poetics. Thanks to this year's conference organiser Alys Rogers , for approaching me.   

I was delighted to read at the Afonydd (Welsh rivers) anthology launch. My poem '2012' focusing on the river Elwy is featued in this anthology. The event was hosted at Cardiff University Library. Copies may be purchased from: https://arachnepress.com/books/poetry/afonydd/       The entire group of my fellow readers: Individual pjhotos of the readers I took on the night:    

 I am delighted to have been invited to read at the 2025 Aberystwyth Poetry Festival on Sunday 8th June. I shall be at the festival from the 6th June and shall also be introducing the poets David Nash and Freya Blyth during their readings.   The full festival programme is at https://thebookshopbythesea.co.uk/aberystwyth-poetry-festival      From the first day at the festival with Seren poets Maggie Harris and Rachel Carney, and emerging poet Freya Blyth, who has been selected for the Representing Wales writer development programme run by Literature Wales:   Here are a few more photos from the festival itself:  

I am appearing at a nature writing conversation and workshop at the Monty Literature Festival on 7th June, 2025. I'll be in conversation with Kandace Siobhan Walker and Bethany Handley. This is a free online session and supported by the University of Aberystwyth. Free tickets and full details can be obtained from this festival event link: https://montylitfest.com/?page_id=7572  

This must be one of the most generous recommendations of my debut poetry collection 'East of the Sun, West of the Moon', published last year by leading Welsh poetry publisher Seren Books. I am grateful to the book blogger Paul Short. The review can be read here:  https://paulwritespoems.com/2025/05/25/the-book-bag-east-of-the-sun-west-of-the-moon-by-taz-rahman/ The book can be bought here:  https://www.serenbooks.com/book/east-of-the-sun-west-of-the-moon/

I am honoured that editors Mona Arshi and Karen McCarthy Woolf selected my poem 'Anda' for the 2025 Faber and Faber published anthology ' Nature Matters ' alongside the biggest names in 21st century poetry. The full glittering list of poets: Victoria Adukwei Bulley, John Agard, Jason Allen-Paisant, Moniza Alvi, Anthony Anaxagorou, Raymond Antrobus, Mona Arshi, Andre Bagoo, Khairani Barokka, Dzifa Benson, Jay Bernard, Sujata Bhatt, Malika Booker, Kamau Brathwaite, Elizabeth-Jane Burnett, Anthony Vahni Capildeo, Mary Jean Chan, Kayo Chingonyi, David Dabydeen, Fred D’Aguiar, Kwame Dawes, Imtiaz Dharker, Tishani Doshi, Nidhi Zak/Aria Eipe, Inua Ellams, Richard Georges, Lorna Goodison, Mina Gorji, Will Harris, Ranjit Hoskote, Sarah Howe, Ian Humphreys, Sharan Hunjan, Ishion Hutchinson, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Anthony Joseph, Bhanu Kapil, Jackie Kay, Mimi Khalvati, Safiya Kamaria Kinshasa, Zaffar Kunial, Hannah Lowe, Karen McCarthy Woolf, Roy McFarlane, Nick Makoha, E...

I am deligted to see my poem '2012' published about the river Elwy in north Wales in the Arachne Press rivers anthology Afonydd. Copies of Afonydd can be ordered directly from Arachne Press A wonderful review of the Afonydd has now appeared in The Guardian newspaper. A report on Afonydd is now on BBC Wales .  

I am delighted to be reading with Maggie Harris, the 2020 Poetry Wales Prize winner on the 22nd May in Cardiff at the launch of her latest poetry collection 'I Sing to the Greenhearts' by Seren Books. Tickets available from Book Space Cardiff's website https://www.bookspacecardiff.co.uk/products/i-sing-to-the-greenhearts-tickets The event would be introduced by Seren poetry editor Rhian Edwards and other readers are Mark Blyney and Taylor Edmonds.      

I am delighted to be reading at this year's Lyra Poetry Festival in Bristol on Sunday, 27th April 2025 with Jonathan Edwards, Abeer Ameer and Bethany Handley. The event is a celebration of Poetry Wales magazine's 60th anniversary. Tickets can be sourced free at https://www.lyrafest.com/#e126214