The Common Press is proud to be collaborating with Anamot Press for this month's Poetry evening on Thursday, 28th September from 6:30 pm - 9:30 pm. We will also dedicate a reading to Gboyega Odubanjo life. Please consider donating to the Foundation set up to honour his legacy here.
The evening will be hosted by HASTI and will feature the incredible American poet and writer, andriniki mattis. We are excited to have andriniki with us, who will be discussing his poetry collection 'Quiet Fire,' which touches on queerness, trans-Blackness, climate change, capitalism, and intimacy. There will also be open mic slots available on the night and some special guest performances. This is a BYOB poetry evening, there will be lots of non-alcoholic drinks, soft drinks, and hot drinks available throughout the evening.
'Quiet Fire,' the debut poetry collection from andriniki mattis, explores the ever-present questions of Black lives. Whether it's in a bakery in Brixton, London, at a corner on Malcolm X Blvd, Brooklyn, or in the pews of Notre Dame, Paris – whether crossing violent borders on land or in gender, we understand what it's like to be in a familiar place that feels foreign.
About andriniki mattis
andriniki mattis was born in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. andriniki is the author of Quiet Fires (Anamot Press, 2023). He has been awarded fellowships from Cave Canem, Poets House, and The Poetry Project. He received his M.A. in Creative Writing and Education from Goldsmiths University
of London and a B.A. in Political and Poetic Resistance from Brooklyn College. His poems have appeared in wildness,Indiana Review, Wasafiri, The Cortland Review, andelsewhere.
About HASTI
Hasti is an award-winning poet and writer, who also works at The Common Press. Hasti is an alumna of the Southbank New Poets Collective and a member of the Ledbury Poetry Critics, they are the recipient of the 2022 Queen Mary Wasafiri New Writing Prize for Poetry and have recently published poems in BATHMAGG, ZINDABAD ZINE, and THE WILLOWHERB REVIEW. They have also co-written the short sci-fi film DIGGING, produced by Film4. Hasti has created shows for Montez Press Radio and hosts open mic and poetry night Fresh Lip.
About Anamot Press
Anamot Press is an independent small publisher based in London. Anamot means shameless in Armenian. Publishing poetry and prose on intersecting experiences of gender, sexuality, race, migration, class, belonging and loss - with no shame.
Schedule
- Doors open from 6:30 pm via The Common Press entrance
- 7:00 pm - Quiet Fires readings and Q & A with andriniki mattis (Bar)
- 7:40 pm - Poetry from special guests
- 8:00 pm - Quiet Fires Book Signings and Sales in the bookshop.
- 8:30 pm - Open mic slots for poets to jump on stage.
- 9:30 pm - Event Ends.
Please note the space the event is taking place is fully wheelchair accessible. This is a BYOB event, there will be lots of non-alcoholic drinks, soft drinks, and hot drinks available throughout the evening.
