#lory bedikian

[mygrowingcollection]

Lory Bedikian

[finishinglinepress]

FLP CHAPBOOK OF THE DAY: My Burning City by Arthur Kayzakian – 2021/2022 Open Chapbook Competition WINNER

ADVANCE ORDER: https://www.finishinglinepress.com/product/my-burning-city-by-arthur-kayzakian/

The poems from My Burning City are a result of my #history. They are part of a more extensive collection released through Black Lawrence Press. I was born in #Iran in 1977. I remember the word “Visa” was thrown around in my family. My parents tried desperately to get passports so that we could escape the Ayatolla invasion. Khomeini took everything from my family. The chaos in Iran today caused by the Islamic Republic of Iran is precisely why we took refuge in the United States 40 years ago. We are a product of #refuge and #displacement. My bloodline is #Armenian, and my culture is Iranian. This is how I make peace with my past.

Arthur Kayzakian is the winner of the 2021 Black Lawrence Immigrant Writing Series award for his collection, The Book of Redacted Paintings, which was also selected as a finalist for the 2021 Philip Levine Prize for Poetry. He is also the winner of the Finishing Line Press Open Chapbook Competition for his chapbook, My Burning City.He has been a finalist for the Locked Horn Press Chapbook Prize, Two Sylvias Press Chapbook Prize, the C.D. Wright Prize, and the Black River Chapbook Competition. He is a contributing editor at Poetry International and a recipient of the Minas Savvas Fellowship. His work has appeared in or is forthcoming from several publications including Taos Journal of International Poetry & Art, COUNTERCLOCK, Chicago Review, Nat. Brut, Michigan Quarterly Review, Witness Magazine, and Prairie Schooner.

PRAISE FOR My Burning City by Arthur Kayzakian

In “My Burning City,” Arthur Kayzakian skillfully constructs “Instructions for Survival” with sonnet, anthem and translated imaginings. He reconstructs what is disconnected due to history, exile and “make[s] poems out of cemeteries.” This collection is only the beginning of a necessary, urgent voice, oath making for us a “song / of the body,” “a wild hive / of prayers.”

–Lory Bedikian, The Book of Lamenting

Like the great Russian poet Anna Akhmatova, who, when asked in a whisper by a blue-lipped stranger during the Yezhov Terror — Can you describe this? replied– I can, Arthur Kayzakian an Iranian-Armenian-American poet, grandchild of the Genocide, on the move with his family almost since birth, follows the same tradition of witnessing, hammering, annealing an architecture of grief into passionate and eloquent forms. And always, when we are almost overwhelmed by the telling, he shifts our gaze to the faces of his family, with simple reverence for the humility of home: տուն (home)The night I kissed my father on his cheek,/his smile,/from a charcoal Armenian, hard Armenian/glazed with the scent of smoke and bravado,/softened./Not even silence has a name for that.

–Sandra Alcosser, Except by Nature

Please share/please repost #flpauthor #preorder #AwesomeCoverArt #poetry #chapbook #read #poems #Iran #Armenian #refuge #displacement

[lemonymay]

Apology to the Body

Sorry for mercury strewn in veins of fish,

for traces of carbon monoxide loose in the air,

for radiation that circles and enters the aura.

Sorry for deliberate puffs and sips

late in the night, for an empty stomach

burning with coffee grounds,

for words of magma, thoughts rough as tufa

scratching the indivisible cells, fragile nerves,

divisions of labor and function,

for scraping skin until it bled, garnet

scars in constellation form, for chemicals

bathing in a pool of genetics, under viral stars.

I’m looking to cleanse regret. I want to give

you a balm for lesions, give you evening

primrose, milk thistle, turmeric, borage,

feet moving toward a language

of trees, hands deciphering sediment, steady

rhythm back in the pulse, the breathing you knew

before you were born. Believe me that we began

together and I will mend each sheath of myelin,

reverse the dark that grows behind my eyes.

Lory Bedikian, 2018.

[lucywrites02]

Good noon my beloved<3 you need to know that I chose this poem while eating the best pastry in the galaxy. So the poem choice might have been influenced by that. Yeah. I love pastries. Anyway. I love love love this phrase: "I’m looking to cleanse regret." Hope you're having a good day!!

Apology to the Body

Lory Bedikian

Sorry for mercury strewn in veins of fish,

for traces of carbon monoxide loose in the air,

for radiation that circles and enters the aura.

Sorry for deliberate puffs and sips

late in the night, for an empty stomach

burning with coffee grounds,

for words of magma, thoughts rough as tufa

scratching the indivisible cells, fragile nerves,

divisions of labor and function,

for scraping skin until it bled, garnet

scars in constellation form, for chemicals

bathing in a pool of genetics, under viral stars.

I’m looking to cleanse regret. I want to give

you a balm for lesions, give you evening

primrose, milk thistle, turmeric, borage,

feet moving toward a language

of trees, hands deciphering sediment, steady

rhythm back in the pulse, the breathing you knew

before you were born. Believe me that we began

together and I will mend each sheath of myelin,

reverse the dark that grows behind my eyes.

Hello!!!! I didn't see this ask! Sorry! <3

yes to pastries!!!! I love them. And I absolutely love the title of this poem. Apology to the Body- it just sound so bizarre because we tent to apologise to other people and forget that we also deserve an apology. Poeple very ofter empathise with inanimate objects, forgetting that our hands are very much alive

[armeniaitn]

Community Rallies in Support of ACF Raising Over $300,000

New Post has been published on https://armenia.in-the.news/society/community-rallies-in-support-of-acf-raising-over-300000-70512-11-03-2021/

Community Rallies in Support of ACF Raising Over $300,000

Armenian Cultural Foundation

Every year around this time, the Armenian Cultural Foundation hosts a gala banquet to showcase its activities and to thank its supporters for their generous contributions that enable the organization to advance it mission.

This year, however, due to COVID-19 restrictions, the ACF was unable to host its annual gala. That did not stop the organization’s benefactors who rallied behind the organization, which in a span of few short weeks, once again, was able to bring a cross-section of the community together, and raised $322,500 for its activities.

“On behalf of the ACF, I would like to wholeheartedly thank our generous contributors for their continued faith in the organization and its mission,” said Avedik Izmirlian, the chair of the ACF Board of Directors. “We understand that the past year has been a difficult for everyone, but your support signals your unwavering commitment to advancing our national aspirations. We will continue to propel projects that will educate and empower our youth both here in the Western U.S. and in the homeland.”

Earlier this year the ACF announced that in addition to continuing its regular support for educational and cultural project here and in Armenia, its plans to assist those impacted by the devastating Artsakh War.

During this past year, the ACF opened its centers around the Western U.S. to rally the community and provide support to those impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Centers in Glendale, Burbank, Pasadena, La Crescenta and Montebello become relief headquarters from where essential supplies and food were delivered to community members in need.

The devastating explosion in Lebanon last summer, also prompted the ACF to join in the community-wide effort to provide relief to our compatriots affected by the tragedy. In June, the ACF donated to Lebanon’s needy Armenians as COVID relief.

A Heartfelt Thank You

$100,000 Anonymous

$50,000 Mr. & Mrs. Sarkis and Noune Sepetjian

$10,000            Mr. & Mrs. Levon and Silva Kirakosian Mr. & Mrs. Hovsep and Elizabeth Boyajian Mr. & Mrs. Meher and Satig Der Ohanessian

$5,000              Mr. & Mrs. Gevik and Paola Baghdassarian and Mr. & Mrs. Peter and Ruby Baghdassarian, In memory of Hacop Baghdassarian Mr. & Mrs. Garo and Sosse Eshgian Mr. & Mrs. Bedig and Maro Fermanian Mr. & Mrs. Vahe and Eva Garibian Mr. & Mrs. Charles and Julia Ghailian Mr. & Mrs. Berdj and Mary Karapetian Mr. & Mrs. Raffi and Aline Kradjian Khatchaturian Foundation

$3,000  Mr. & Mrs. Raffi and Silva Kendirjian

$2,500  Mr. & Mrs. John and Pattyl Kasparian Dr. & Mrs. Sarkis and Tamara Arevian Mr. & Mrs. Vatche and Natalie Chadarevian ANONYMOUS Mr. & Mrs. Angelo and Lori Ghailian Mr. Carlo Ghailian Golden State Bank Dr. & Mrs. Viken and Nora Hovsepian Mr. Mike Sarian Mr. Koko Topalian Mr. & Mrs. Vahe and Shakeh Vartanian

$2,000 Koundakjian Family,    In memory of Varoujan Koundakjian Mr. & Mrs. Avedik and Ankine Izmirlian Mr. & Mrs. Vahik and Alice Petrossian, In memory of Hacob and Mina Shirvanian

$1,500 Mr. & Mrs. Hayko and Mariana Aldzikyan Mr. & Mrs. Vicken and Nono Apelian Mr. & Mrs. Kevork and Houry Aposhian Mr. & Mrs. Shant and Tamar Baboujian Mr. & Mrs. Joseph and Hourig Baghdadlian Ms. Lena Bedikian Mr. & Mrs. Vahe and Arda Benlian Mr. & Mrs. Sako and Rebecca Berberian Mr. & Mrs. Mardig and Nora Bouldoukian Mr. & Mrs. Ronnie and Agie Gharibian Mr. & Mrs. Garo and Talin Ghazarian Mr. Vicken Gulesserian Mr. & Mrs. Jack and Lori Hadjinian Holy Martyrs Armenian Apostolic Church Mr. & Mrs. Vahe and Hasmig Hovaguimian Mr. & Mrs. Harout and Laura Kamberian Mr. & Mrs. Ara and Silva Khatchikian Anonymous Mr. & Mrs. Jack and Berjouhi Nakkashian Mr. & Mrs. Raffi and Souzy Ohanian Mrs. Hermineh Pakhanians Mr. & Mrs. Joe and Nvair Samuelian Mr. & Mrs. Garbis and Lorig Titizian Mr. & Mrs. Khatchig and Mariam Yeretzian Mr. & Mrs. George and Araxi Titizian Mr. & Mrs. Harout and Betty Donoyan Drs. Khodam and Carmen Rosdomian Mr. & Mrs. Mark and Margaret Shirin Mr. Garo Ispendjian ARAMCO Imports Inc. St. Garabed Armenian Apostolic Church Mr. and Mrs. Ara and Maro Papazian Mr. Arman Melkonian Mr. & Mrs. Vahe and Silva Melkonian Mr. & Mrs. Hagop and Liz Tufenkjian Mr. Khatchig Titizian NASA Services Inc. Mr. Arto Keuleyan Drs. Christopher and Laurie Chalian Mr. and Mrs. Sevak and Jurgita Khatchadourian Mr. & Mrs. Garo and Nirva Kamarian Mrs. Haygush Keghinian-Kohler

$1,000 Mr. & Mrs. Sarkis and Seta Kargodorian Mr. & Mrs. Ara and Tina Shabanian Mr. & Mrs. Kevin and Edith Ouzounian

Read original article here.

[massispost]

New Post has been published on https://massispost.com/2020/07/lory-bedikian-shares-armenian-experience-on-finding-truths-and-creating-arts/

Lory Bedikian Shares Armenian Experience on "Finding Truths and Creating Arts"

SANTA MONICA, CA – The Broad State and Red Hen Press are…