Sponsored by NCWN, the Jacobs/Jones African-American Literary Prize honors the nineteenth-century writers Harriet Jacobs and Thomas H. Jones and is open to any Black and African-American writer whose primary residence is in North Carolina. The final judge of this year’s contest was DéLana R.A. Dameron. It’s a pleasure to see my new essay, Rituals of […]
About MKB
Mildred Kiconco Barya is a North Carolina-based writer, educator, and poet of East African descent. She teaches and lectures globally, and is the author of four full-length poetry collections, most recently "The Animals of My Earth School" released by Terrapin Books, 2023. Her prose, hybrids, and poems have appeared in Shenandoah, Joyland, The Cincinnati Review, Tin House, New England Review, and elsewhere. She’s now working on a collection of creative nonfiction, and her essay, “Being Here in This Body”, won the 2020 Linda Flowers Literary Award and was published in the North Carolina Literary Review. She serves on the boards of African Writers Trust, Story Parlor, and coordinates the Poetrio Reading events at Malaprop’s Independent Bookstore/Café. She blogs here: www.mildredbarya.com
Brittle Paper’s 100 Notable African Books of 2023!
Ribbons and badges! It’s such an honor and absolute delight to see THE ANIMALS OF MY EARTH SCHOOL on this remarkable list! I’m eager to dive into some of these alluring titles as soon as I clear my desk and begin wintering. With one click, you may access the full list
Review by Heather Swan: The Animals of My Earth School
“We can choose goodness.” I am absolutely honored and thrilled to share this riveting review of The Animals of My Earth School by the remarkable poet, teacher, and essayist Heather Swan, published in Terrain.org Once in a while a poet finds kinship with another poet and shares it with great wisdom and profound understanding. […]
Behind the Byline Interview with NER
Hello readers, I’m delighted to share my conversation with Meera Vijayann at New England Review. If you’re interested in cultural mythologies and how they may influence or inspire writers to create new works, read on here. The source of this interview is my essay, “Poetics of Transmutation”, published in NER Issue 44.3 Thank you for […]
The Animals of My Earth School
Released to the world on April 10, 2023 Copies available via Terrapin Books and all other bookstore outlets. In The Animals of My Earth School, Mildred Kiconco Barya gives us magnificent hungers and provocative feasts. Her poems tutor us via insects, mammals, birds, and reptiles in the slippages of time and place and the swerves […]
The Animals of My Earth School pre-order available from several outlets below
In the compassionate, playful, fable-like poems of The Animals of My Earth School, Mildred Kiconco Barya awakens us to the vividly singing, fully alive, non-human communities surrounding us. These poems demonstrate poetry’s unique ability to prick us from our self-involved numbness and awaken us to wonder. There is great solace, tenderness, and innocence here—the kind of innocence capable of […]
News: The Animals of My Earth-School Institute
I am very delighted to announce that my poetry collection, The Animals of My Earth-School Institute, is forthcoming from Terrapin Books, 2023. You can read a sample—Factors—published on poets.org.
Walking the Path
Another way of affirming this–by quoting Antonio Machado–the path is made by walking. In my morning pages today, Julia Cameron reminds me that “There is a path for each of us. When we are on the right path, we have a sure-footedness. We know the next right action… By trusting, we learn to trust.” I’d […]
August Poetrio Libation
Join us for our monthly poetry event featuring three poets and hosted by poet Mildred Barya. This month, we welcome Poetrio: Crystal Stone, Sally Rosen Kindred, and Rick Mulkey. Click here to RSVP. On the day of the event, we will send a reminder email with the link required to attend. Like most of our events, […]
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MKB: Dear Nyakisa, Good news! "The Animals of My Earth...
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Nyakisa Beth: Will it be available in Uganda?...
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Wm Epes: Dr. Barya: Hope you are well. Enj...
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