An Exaltation of Goddesses ~ A Poetry Performance

About this session

“An Exaltation of Goddesses” is a unique, dramatic montage of poetry performances, a chorus of 13 diverse poetic voices from different parts of the world, backgrounds, and lineages, raising our voices to share our experience of the Divine Feminine in thirteen of Her myriads of Goddess forms. Poetry has a special spiritual power in traditional cultures because of the immanent magic in its patterns, rhythms, and repetitions of words— aspects that come out most strongly in performance. This world premiere compilation, created in honor of the 2021 Symposium of ASWM dedicated to Marija Gimbutas and in memory of Patricia Monaghan, is the first video production from poet Annie Finch’s Poetry Witch Ritual Theater.

Ann Filemyr, Ph.D., (Brigid) is President of Southwestern College and Director of the Ecotherapy Certificate. Her books of poetry include The Healer's Diary and The Vowels. http://annfilemyr.com/

Annie Finch (*Friya) is an award-winning poet and an editor, critic, playwright, and performer. Her books include Among the Goddesses and Spells: New and Selected Poems. http://www.anniefinch.com/

Judy Grahn (Aruru) is a poet, author, and cultural theorist whose books deepen goddess studies, take racism personally, and engage psychically with creatures. www.commonalityinstitute.com

Anna Halberstadt (Dalia) is a poet who writes in English and Russian and translates from English, Russian and Lithuanian. She has published six books of poetry. https://alephi.org/923/four-poems-anna-halberstadt/

Yona Harvey (Nana Buruku) is the author of two poetry collections, Hemming the Water and You Don’t Have to Go to Mars for Love.
https://www.yonaharvey.com/

Jurgita Jasponytė (Zemyna) is a Lithuanian poet, author of Šaltupė and The Sharp Gates of Dawn She was awarded the Vilnius Mayor Prize in 2019. https://www.versopolis-poetry.com/poet/121/jurgita-jasponyte?fbclid=IwAR0GeFdBRQU-

Raina J. León, PhD (Nyx) is Afro-Boricua, from Philadelphia, the author of three collections of poetry, Canticle of Idols, Boogeyman Dawn, and sombra: dis(locate), and a founding editor of The Acentos Review https://rainaleon.com/

Mary Mackey, PhD, (Xori) is New York Times best-selling author of eight collections of poetry and fourteen novels including The Year The Horses Came. https://marymackey.com/ Marianela Medrano (Ataberya) is a Dominican poet and writer living in Connecticut since 1990. She writes in Spanish and English. Her poetry has been translated into Italian and French. https://marianelamed.wordpress.com/

Monica Mody, PhD, (Saraswati) is a poet and writer born in Ranchi, India. Her books include Kala Pani (1913 Press) and Bright Parallel (Copper Coin, forthcoming). http://www.drmonicamody.com/

Purvi Shah’s (Kali) favorite art practices are sparkly eyeshadow, raucous laughter, and seeking justice. Her new book, Miracle Marks, explores women, the sacred, and gender & racial equity. https://purvipoets.net/books-2

Richelle Lee Slota (Cybele) writes poetry, novels, non-fiction and plays. She lives in San Francisco and performs a one-transwoman show called Kind of a Drag. https://www.amazon.in/Walk-Shoes-Small-Trouble-Book-ebook/dp/B014903JFY/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=richard+slota&qid=1621452696&sr=8-1

Arundhathi Subramaniam (Neeli Mariamman) is a leading Indian poet and author of twelve books of poetry and prose, most recently Love Without a Story (Bloodaxe Books, 2020).
https://arundhathisubramaniam.webs.com/

Goddesses included:

1. Annie Finch – *Friya
2. Jurgita Jasponyte – Zemyna
3. Ann Filemyr – Brigid
4. Marianela Medrano – Ataberya
5. Richelle Slota – Cybele
6. Mary Mackey – Xori
7. Yona Harvey – Nana Buruku
8. Monica Mody – Saraswati
9. Arundhati Subramaniam– Neeli Mariamman
10. Raina Leon – Nyx
11. Anna Halberstadt — Dalia
12. Purvi Shah — Kali
13. Judy Grahn — Aruru