Taz Rahman Writer

My first poetry collection is out from Seren Books next month (February 2024). The cover is an original commissioned artwork by the very talented Welsh-Italian painter  Anna Amalia Coviello .  The full list of endorsements: John McCullough - "East of the Sun, West of the Moon is a linguistic tour-de-force. Its liquid, jazz-inspired phrasing delights with sonic leaps and swerves of imagination : ‘I let the sound stutter / let gurgles purify each bank / wobble each bridge’. In this collection, anything is possible: ‘hymns carry stadiums’ and ‘The noxious sprouts ladders’. Contemporary Cardiff becomes inextricably, joyously plaited with the Indian subcontinent: ‘Dravidic tongues / inflect Kerala, shatter invisible / coconuts into tales // circulating Lidl and the Woodville’. There are shadows here too, racist violence exposed alongside ‘Bodies winter scrubbed / toothpaste white’. The overall effect is the creation of a rich, distinctive poetic universe, at times evoking br...

I am delighted to be reading for the next issue of Acropolis Journal with JP Seabright and Dr. Chris Laoutaris. Acropolis Journal published my poems 'Anda' and 'What Are Your Doing the Rest of Your Life' in the recently published issue eight . Theme to be anounched in January 2024 when the submission window opens.

I am delighted to have two poems published in issue 8 of the  Acropolis Journal , associated with temples, ruins and dark myths. The poems they have published are 'Anda' and 'What are you doing the rest of your life', and extracts can be seen in the screenshots below and the full poems are in the link below:  Taz Rahman – Two Poems | Acropolis Journal (acropolisjournaluk.wixsite.com

'Sinnerman' is a powerful song by the jazz great Nina Simone. Abridged Magazine had commissioned a number of brilliant early-career poets to respond to the theme. My version, 'The Substrate of a Rose' is now published within the zone and the physical printed postcards are also available. 

Delighted to have my poem ' The Free State of Roath ' in issue 80 of the Interpreter's House magazine, one of the best contemporary poetry magazines with the most exciting poets of the day being featured in their issues going back a number of years.

 What a wonderful gathering at Dyddiau Du in Cardiff, hosted by the terrific Welsh short story writer Joshua Jones to showcase Planet - The Welsh Internationalist magazine, and it was such an honour to be part of that showcase, and read alongside Katherine Stansfield and Planet editor Emily Trahair!  --- I am delighted to have been invited to read alongside Katherine Stansfield for Planet - The Welsh Internationalist magazine's publisher showcase held at the Dyddiau Du , Capital Centre, Cardiff on 29th September 2023.     

I am delighted that the editors Damian Walford Davies and Kevin Mills selected my poem 'Amygdala' for the Seren Books published anthology Free Verse - Poems for Richard Price , which is a collection in honour of Wales' greatest moral philosopher Richard Price's 300th birthday.

Such a pleasure to be part of the Harvest Party in Pembrokeshire and read a few poems on the Saturday afternoon (26th August) with Suzanne Iuppa and Phil Jones. More details of the fantastic farm and team behind it can be found in: https://www.facebook.com/CaerhysOrganicCommunityAgriculture

  Hub Festival 2023 is back, and this year has incorporated 'page poetry' alongside its previous year's spoken word focus. I shall be reading at The Moon, Cardiff on Thursday 24th August 2023 (7 pm onwards). Many thanks to Matt Troy for the invite.

I am delighted to be one of the first four writers announced to be showcased as part of South Asian Heritage Month 2023 at Cardiff premier performance and arts hub Chapter Arts on 12th August: https://www.chapter.org/whats-on/all-shows/south-asian-heritage-month-showcase-2023/9405 The event is being curated by Durre Sharwar and Zafar Iqbal. The other writers announced so far are novelist Hammad Rind, and writer, editor and poet Nasia Sarwar-Skuse.  

Many thanks to Claire Walker and Holly Magill from Atrium Poetry magazine for accepting my poem ' Stars siphon narcissus '. The poem is forthcoming on 7th July 2023.

 How lovely to have read some poems from my upcoming 1st collection next year (Seren Books, February 2024, 'East of the Sun, West of the Moon') at the Casablanca Club. This was the start of a new poetry night in Cardiff Bay called 'Tiger Bay Poetry' and it was distinguished honour to have read with fellow Seren poet Wendy Allen and Poetry Wales published Gareth Writer-Davies.

A real pleasure to be reading in Llantwit Major at the These3Streams literary festival on Sunday, 11th June 2023 alongside local poet Sarah Persson.

I am beyond humbled to be part of the 2023 Hay Festival Writers at work. I shall be at the festival attending the programme of events:  https://www.hayfestival.com/wales/writers-at-work/ https://www.literaturewales.org/lw-news/hay-festival-announces-participants-for-its-writers-at-work-2023-programme-for-emerging-welsh-talent/ https://www.cardiff.ac.uk/news/view/2723333-writers-at-work Hay Festival 2023, Taz Rahman reading as part of Writers at Work Writers at work cohort at the Hay Festival 2023 with Douglas Stuart, Booker Prize winner Taz Rahman, Sophie Bouchilard & Connor Allen, Hay Festival 2023 Writers at Work

It was my privilege to have hosted the Poetry Wales magazine's Dylan Thomas Day 2023 celebration at Waterstones, Cardiff: Monday, 15th May. Poets featured - Des Mannay, John Freeman, Leigh Manley, Kathrine Stansfield, Christina Thatcher, Matthew Haigh & Suzanne Iuppa.

Editor Emily Trahair at 'Planet - The Welsh Internationalist magazine' has published my poem Sanctuary in the May issue. The poem is about the concept of refuge and hiraeth - a Welsh word meaning a specific longing for one's homeland. The front cover also features a photo I took as a photojournalist while covering the protest against Cardiff council's proposed cutbacks that would have threatened library and museum services.

Delighted to be reading in the write4word and Pen Cymru 'Welsh Writers Welcome the World' event at Narbeth Museum on 23rd March.

I shall be reading at the Old Murrenger, Newport's famous old literary venue on Wednesday 15th March. It would be a 40-minute set in total reading poems from my upcoming February 2024 first poetry collection from Seren Books.  Update: The photo below was taken by the photographer John Briggs at the Murrenger reading -  

Such an immense honour to have the Welsh language poetry magazine Barddas commission a translation of one of my poems into Welsh. The translator is the Eisteddfod-winning bard Osian Wyn Owen. Many thanks to Nia Morais , commissioner of 'New Voices' for the kind recommendation.

Delighted to be reading poems as the guest reader and supporting Poetry Wales editor Zoë Brigley's summer poetry retreat weekend at Literature Wales' Ty Newydd Creative Writing Centre.  I shall be reading on Wednesday evening (2nd August) from my upcoming 2024 first collection, as well as discussing my journey through the first poetry collection with Wales' biggest poetry publisher, Seren Books.  Full details about this course can be found at the Ty Newydd website: https://www.tynewydd.wales/course/retreat-editing-and-submitting-poems/

Being shortlisted for the Aesthetica Creative Writing prize was such an honour. All shortlisted poems and prose have been published in a beautiful anthology and it is a priviledge to be selected among the best of British poetry and literature. The 2023 Aesthetica Creative Writing Anthology is available  here  for purchase:

Anthropocene Poetry magazine has published two of my poems, 'Yashica 635' and 'Internal Reliquary':   https://www.anthropocenepoetry.org/post/2-poems-by-taz-rahman I am enormously grateful to the editor Charlie Baylis and deputy editor Aaron Kent for this acceptance back in April 2022 as the confidence of being accepted for publication at such an esteemed publication had allowed me to shape my voice in ways I did not think would be possible. Thank you. 

My poem 'Muktijodha' has been published in the latest issue of Poetry Wales - Winter 2022, Volume 58, Number 2. Many thanks to the guest editor Taylor Edmonds for publishing me in this special Partition themed issue.

Incredibly honoured to have my poem 'Teach Jackdaws Avionics' in the 2nd issue of the Propel Magazine. Propel was founded by Anthony Anaxagorou to showcase leading emerging poets who are yet to publish a first collection. Each issue has a guest editor and the 2nd issue was edited by Jeremy Noel-Todd: https://www.propelmagazine.co.uk/taz-rahman-teach-jackdaws-avionics  

I am humbled to have been shortlisted for the Aesthetica Creative Writing Award 2022 for my poem 'Ramadan'. The poem has also been published in the Bad Lilies magazine and can be read here Thank you, Aesthetica magazine. My poetry journey started at the beginning of 2019. There has been a pandemic in between to bring me closer to my ultimate solace - river banks, edge of lakes, pools of water with nature gawking at its own simple magnificence. The enormous privilege of being mentored by Poetry Wales editor Zoe Brigley, and the Representing Wales Award 2021 from Literature Wales, had allowed me to find the confidence that I simply did not possess at the onset of my writing journey in 2019. So this is an opportunity to thank both Zoe and Literature Wales, and all my friends and inspirations who have shown faith in this journey.  All the shortlisted poems and stories would be published in the 2023 Aesthetica Creative Writing Anthology available here  

 It was a real honour to have been invited to read at Storyville Books, Pontypridd on 26th October 2022. Many thanks to Rob Cullen for the invite and a real pleasure to be have read alongside Clare Potter and Patrick Jones.

I have signed the contract for my first full-length poetry collection 'East of the Sun, West of the Moon'  forthcoming in February 2024 from Seren Books:  https://www.serenbooks.com/newsentry/announcing-our-2023-24-poetry-list

 I am delighted to have been selected to be the new chair of the Reader's Committee for Poetry Wales. In this advisory role, I hope to support the editors and contribute ideas toward the reach of the magazine.