The poet Renée Sarojini Saklikar discusses the new book she’s co-written with Mark L. Winston, Listening to the Bees (Nightwood Editions, 2018), a collaborative book on bees where she interacts with Winston’s academic research with notes and poetry, her own interest and fascination with bees, and more, with Joseph Planta.

Listening to the Bees by Mark L. Winston and Renée Sarojini Saklikar (Nightwood Editions, 2018). Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: Listening to the Bees

Text of introduction by Joseph Planta:

I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, at TheCommentary.ca.

Renée Sarojini Saklikar joins me again. The Poet Laureate for the City of Surrey, and award-winning author has a new book out. Co-written with Mark Winston, Listening to the Bees is a collaborative book about bees and how they illuminate so much of ourselves and the world around us. Dr Winston is one of the world’s leading expert on bees and pollination. He gave Renée access to his many years of research, and alternating between his reflections, she provides poetry as to bees, and the challenges they face today; they’re her responses to his scientific archive, and often her work is thoughtful, amusing, and serious. One enjoys the book for the words that both Dr. Winston and Ms. Saklikar deploy. Renee Sarojini Saklikar won the 2014 Canadian Authors Association Award for poetry for her first collection children of air india, which she was on with the first time she did the program. She returned a couple of years ago when the collection she edited with Wayde Compton was released. The Revolving City: 51 Poems and the Stories Behind Them was a 2016 City of Vancouver Book Award finalist. Visit www.thecanadaproject.wordpress.com. Mark Winston is scheduled to be on the program in the coming weeks. This new book is published by Nightwood Editions. [There will be a launch of the book in Vancouver, 10 May 2018, 7-9pm at the Grand Luxe Hall, 303 East 8th Avenue.] Please welcome back to the Planta: On the Line program, Renée Saklikar; Ms. Saklikar, good morning. [This interview was taped 01 May 2018.]

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