Poetry Open Mic & Reading by Ahmad Almallah

Join Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture for a special Poetry Open Mic & Reading on October 8th at 6 PM.

Join us for an intimate evening dedicated to the rhythm, memory, and enduring power of Arab verse.

The night opens with a community Poetry Open Mic, welcoming local writers, emerging voices, and community members to take the stage. Participants are invited to share their original poetry or recite pieces by Arab poets who inspire them—celebrating oral traditions in both Arabic and English.

Following the open mic, acclaimed Palestinian-American poet and educator Ahmad Almallah will take the stage for a featured reading from his haunting, critically celebrated collection, Bitter Sweet and Wrong Winds.

About Ahmad Almallah

Ahmad Almallah is a Palestinian poet and artist from Jerusalem, widely recognized for his searing verse on displacement, grief, inheritance, and homeland. A recipient of the 2017 Maya Angelou Poetry Award, Almallah currently teaches creative writing and Arabic literature at the University of Pennsylvania. His collection Wrong Winds (Phoenix Poets / University of Chicago Press) meditates on exile, memory, and the friction between past and present, offering an unflinching lyric voice that bridges personal loss with collective history.

Evening Schedule

• Open Mic Sign-Up & Social: Arrive early to claim a spot on the mic and connect over light refreshments.

• Community Open Mic: Open reading featuring local poets and audience recitations.

• Featured Reading: Ahmad Almallah reads selected poems from Wrong Winds, followed by reflections on craft, memory, and translation.

• Q&A & Book Signing: A brief conversation with the author and community book signing.

Whether you step up to the microphone or come to listen, join us in celebrating language, belonging, and the vibrant lineage of Arab poetry.