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Two Currents Meet in Ottawa: Mekyle Ali Qadir Launches Crescendo at Octopus Books July 7, 2026 – Posted in: Highlights, Poetry, Readings & Excerpts

Some launches announce a book; others announce a voice. The launch of Crescendo, Mekyle Ali Qadir’s debut poetry collection with Mawenzi House on June 29, 2026, at the Mauril-Bélanger Social Innovation Workshop (The Atelier) in Ottawa was firmly the latter. The evening drew more than forty readers, writers, scholars, family and friends, with thirty copies of the collection finding new shelves by night’s end. Mekyle opened with a reading of the collection’s introduction, “Two Currents,”…

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Where the River Finds Her Voice: Saraswoti Lamichhane Launches Karaikhola Flows at Audrey’s Books, Edmonton June 3, 2026 – Posted in: Highlights, Readings & Excerpts

There are book launches, and then there are evenings that feel like the land itself called them into being. The launch of Karaikhola Flows — Saraswoti Lamichhane’s debut poetry collection with Mawenzi House at Edmonton’s beloved Audrey’s Books was unmistakably the latter. Held at one of Canada’s most storied independent bookstores, the event brought together Edmonton’s literary community to celebrate a collection that has been a long time coming. Karaikhola Flows (Mawenzi House, 2026) is…

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Holi: Spring Festival of Colours March 8, 2023 – Posted in: Readings & Excerpts

From Mattress Makers, by Sasenarine Persaud. May there always be spring in our eyesand fingers, feet: pink ixoras, red hibiscusmauve madar—green buds everywhere Even live oaks’ allergenic dust coating everythingyellow, golden gainda, daddy said, not marigoldspani re pani tera rang kaisa—is it rain—or Water what is your colour? Or plucked stingsMukesh mixing easily with jhaals chimingfrom UP: Holi Khele Raghuvira Awadh Mein May we sing for a thousand years—more—chowtals, olaras—Mamas crafting coconut gojiasdholaks in arteries, hearts,…

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Thanksgiving November 24, 2022 – Posted in: Readings & Excerpts

From Mattress Makers by Sasenarine Persaud, forthcoming from Mawenzi House. Sun dances through clear-glass doorflagged by palm fronds wavingwebbed arms to bladed bananaLeaf-shadows lounging on fence—a morning thief dropping red petalson clipped lawn Indian orchid heartsrolling wind circumambulatingmy south and yours warm jamunleaves gyrating on weathered paling

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Keepers of the Faith by Shaukat Ajmeri April 11, 2020 – Posted in: Readings & Excerpts

Keepers of the Faith is set within a small Muslim sect of India, ruled by an avaricious priesthood that demands absolute submission while enforcing archaic social customs. When a section of the community rebels, it is summarily excommunicated, shunned by friends and family and denied religious rites. The peaceful community is split into two. The novel follows the fates of two blissful young lovers, Akbar and Rukhsana, in the historic city of Udaipur. When the communal…

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Lien Chao’s Salt in My Life Reading April 7, 2020 – Posted in: Readings & Excerpts

Lien Chao’s latest collection contains seven chapters of bilingual poetry created in the past decade, covering a wide terrain of subjects, art forms, and poetic styles, including a reflective travelogue, lyrics inspired by situations, concise vocal lyrics for symphony orchestra, and finally, a multimedia-poetic stage production. By challenging the genre of poetry and its terrain, this new collection continues to build a cultural bridge across the boundaries between two totally different languages. In the audio readings…

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Black History Month 2020 Highlight: Part 3 February 20, 2020 – Posted in: Highlights, Readings & Excerpts

You might recognize The Youth of God by Hassan Ghedi Santur from Canada Reads Longlist! In its telling, this novel reveals the alienated lives of Somali youth in an environment riddled with crime and unemployment, while still in the grip of bitter memories of a home left behind. Hassan emigrated from Somalia to Canada at age thirteen. He has a BA in English Literature and an MFA from York University, and an MA from Columbia…

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