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
Author Archive | MKB

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 […]

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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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July Poetrio Libation

Join us for our monthly poetry event featuring three poets and hosted by poet Mildred Barya. This month, we welcome Saddiq Dzukogi, Jen Karetnick, and Michael Hettich. Click here to RSVP to attend. 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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June Poetrio Libation

Excited once more to introduce three wonderful poets reading in June  Join us for our monthly poetry event featuring three poets hosted by yours truly. This month, we welcome Angela Narciso Torres, Caridad Moro-Gronlier, and Jehanne Dubrow. Click here to RSVP. On the day of the event, we will send a reminder email with the link required […]

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“…a relentless attempt to express the inexpressible.” 

May Highlights: 1. Finishing strong in spite of… (whichever way you interpret that). 2. Mating turkeys. The thrill of joy to watch strutting turkeys in my yard, full of pride (shame has no place here). 3. Mildred Barya in Conversation with Michael Hettich. I have the greatest pleasure to share with you this comprehensive interview titled: […]

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Happy National Poetry Month!

Join us for our monthly poetry event featuring three poets. This month, we welcome Petra Kuppers, Rodney Terich Leonard, and Kevin Prufer. Click here to RSVP for this event. On the day of the event, we will send a reminder email with the link required to attend. Like most of our Malaprop’s events, this event is […]

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Mildred Barya with Malaprop’s March POETRIO Poets: Jesús Sepúlveda, Gianna Russo, and Aditi Machado

If you missed this wonderful reading, here’s the live recording, March 7, 2021 Click this link Brief Intros via their works Gianna Russo, One House Down. Gianna unsettles the past in One House Down. The poems in this book are packed with stories, filled with voices of people and their ghosts. History comes to life […]

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March Poetrio is lined up for you, how exciting!

Join us once more on March 7, 2021 – 3:00pm EST Poetrio: Jesús Sepúlveda, Gianna Russo, and Aditi Machado   Join us for our monthly poetry event featuring three poets. This month, we welcomeJesús Sepúlveda, Gianna Russo, Aditi Machado. Click here to RSVP for this event. On the day of the event, we will send a reminder […]

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February Poets via Malaprop’s Poetrio Event

February Poets via Malaprop’s Poetrio Event

Hello World, Welcome to Virtual PoetrioSunday, February 7, 2021 at 3 PM EST We hope you will join me online to welcome Artress Bethany White, author of My Afmerica; Kathleen O’Toole, author of This Far; and Alice Friman, author of Blood Weather. Click here to learn more and RSVP to attend this free live streamed event. Artress Bethany White Kathleen […]

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January Poets via Malaprop’s Poetrio Libation

Every first Sunday of the month, I’ll be drinking poetry with amazing poets. I started hosting Poetrio events with Malaprop’s in the Fall of 2019, but halted when COVID-19 prevented us from communing in-person. I am delighted to resume online, and this platform has the benefits of bringing lovers of poetry from across the world […]

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