This month, our guest on the Poetic Resurrection Podcast is Inam Inamullah. We delve into his book Whispers of the Flight, a Sufistic novel that explores the journey of self-discovery through life's peaks and valleys. In addition, we take a look at his personal experiences and how he rose to become an internationally recognized artist, with one of his commissioned pieces displayed at the Carnegie Hall Tower in New York City. It was a fascinating conversation with a guest who has much wisdom to share. Don't miss it!

Inam, originally from South Asia, is a world-renowned artist, poet, and playwright. His work has earned international acclaim for its depth, creativity, and spiritual insight. Despite the challenges he faced early in life, including the hardships brought on by polio, Inam found solace in his art. Through resilience and a profound sense of creativity, he transformed his struggles into a source of beauty and inspiration. Inam's artistic journey is not confined to the canvas alone; his passion for the written word is evident in his prolific contributions to poetry and playwriting. His works reflect a deep appreciation for the ancient wisdom imparted by Sufi sages, which has unveiled the mysteries of the universe to him. A graduate of UCLA with an MBA, Inam also serves as a Life Coach, guiding others through their own journeys of transformation. His commitment to giving back to the community led him to found the Glitter of Hope Foundation, a local charity dedicated to supporting single mothers and orphans, primarily within the refugee community. Inam's latest work, "Whispers of The Flight," offers readers a profound journey that promises to illuminate the path to inner transformation. Whether you're a spiritual seeker, a lover of allegorical tales, or someone on a quest for deeper understanding, this work ensures a transformative experience that resonates deeply with the soul.

Amazon link: https://amzn.to/472w8tO - Whispers of the Flight

Find out more about his artwork: https://www.inamgallery.com/

Whisper of Flight site: www.whispersoftheflight.com

Inam’s life coaching site: www.elevatelife.guru

The Whispers of Flight novel invites readers into a world of spiritual discovery and self-recognition, echoing the timeless lessons of self-discovery and the transformative power of following one’s dreams.

We are thrilled to welcome back Luis J. Rodriguez, former Los Angeles Poet Laureate from 2014 to 2016, in this episode. We discuss the Always Running festival, which is named after his well-known book - Always Running: La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A. Since our last interview, Luis has been traveling with his wife Trini for poetry readings and speaking engagements around the world. Currently, he is working on a script with Freddy Negrete based on the true story of the killing of David Dominguez, a gang member, by San Gabriel ex-cop Billy Joe McIlvain. We also touch on a project that Luis was involved in with John Leguizamo, though unfortunately it was not completed. One of the most heartbreaking topics we discuss is the growing homeless population in Los Angeles and how expensive housing is causing many people to leave the city or move to Mexico. Take a listen to this insightful conversation with an accomplished author and activist.

In addition to being a novelist, memoirist, short story writer, children's book writer, and essayist, Luis is also a poet. He is also known as a mentor, healer, youth and arts advocate, community and urban peace activist, husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

And if you find yourself in the Los Angeles area, be sure to visit Tia Chucha Bookstore and Cultural Center. He has 16 books in all genres (poetry, children's books, fiction, and nonfiction), including the best-selling memoir, "Always Running, La Vida Loca, Gang Days in L.A." His latest memoir is the sequel, "It Calls You Back: An Odyssey Through Love, Addiction, Revolutions, and Healing." His last poetry book is 2016's "Borrowed Bones" from Curbstone Books/Northwestern University Press. In 2020, Seven Stories Press released his first book of essays, "From Our Land to Our Land: Essays, Journeys & Imaginings from a Native Xicanx Writer."

Among his many awards and fellowships, in 2022 Luis was given a California Arts Council Legacy Fellowship and a Los Angeles Times' Robert Kirsch Lifetime Achievement Award.

Luis is founding editor of Tia Chucha Press, now for over 30 years, and more than 20 years ago he co-founded with his wife Trini Tia Chucha's Centro Cultural & Bookstore in the San Fernando Valley. He has traveled across the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America, Europe, and Japan to speak, do poetry readings, indigenous ceremonies, or reportage over the past 40 years. This includes prisons, jails, and juvenile lockups in around 20 U.S. states, as well as Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Argentina, Italy, and England. Dedicated to his indigenous roots and Native American spirituality, Luis has a Mexika name: Mixcoatl Itztlacuiloh. With his wife Trini (Tlazohteotl) he has a podcast called "The Hummingbird Cricket Hour"--http://hchpodcast.libsyn.com/ Luis is dedicated to a clean, balanced, abundant, cooperative, healing world. No more capitalist private property relations, exploitation, war, or inequities. "In essential things, unity; in nonessential things, liberty. In all things compassion."

Always Running – La Vida Loca, Gang Days in LA by Luis J. Rodriguez

The Concrete River: Poems by Luis J Rodriguez

Tia Chucha Bookstore & Cultural Center

Freddy Negrete: Smile Now, Cry Later

Good Cop or Bad Cop? The Story of Billy Joe McIlvain and the Murder of David Dominguez

Los Angeles Poet Laureate, Lynne Thompson, as our distinguished guest. Her words flow gracefully and effortlessly as she reads several of her poignant poems, including Ode to Bones and A Woman’s Body, Aging, Still Loves Itself from her latest book Blue on a Blue Palette. Through our conversation, Lynne shares insight into her poetic process, the lessons she has gleaned along her journey, and powerful observations on the current state of women's lives and history. Tune in to experience the eloquent wordsmith at work and delve into an enlightening dialogue with this remarkable poet.

Lynne Thompson was the 4th Poet Laureate for the City of Los Angeles, The daughter of Caribbean immigrants, her poetry collections include Beg No Pardon (2007), winner of the Perugia Press Prize and the Great Lakes Colleges Association’s New Writers Award: Start with a Small Guitar (2013), from What Books Press; and Fretwork (2019), winner of the Marsh Hawk Press Poetry Prize. Thompson’s honors include the Tucson Festival of Books Literary Award (poetry) and the Stephen Dun Prize for Poetry as well as fellowships from the City of Los Angeles, Vermont Studio Center, and the Summer Literary Series in Kenya.

https://www.lynnethompson.us/

Lynne Thompson’s Blue on a Blue Palette (2024) reflects on the condition of women—their joys despite their histories, and their insistence on survival as issues of race, culture, pandemic, and climate threaten their livelihoods. The documentation of these personal odysseys—which vary stylistically from abecedarians to free verse to centos—replicate the many ways women travel through the stages of their lives, all negotiated on a palette encompassing various shades of blue. These poems demand your attention, your voice: “Say history. Claim. Say wild.”

Blue on a Blue Palette

Fretwork

Beg No Pardon

Start with a Small Guitar