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    <fireside:genDate>Tue, 21 Apr 2026 04:47:38 -0500</fireside:genDate>
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    <title>AwokenWord - Episodes Tagged with “Poetry”</title>
    <link>https://www.awokenword.com/tags/poetry</link>
    <pubDate>Wed, 04 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
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AwokenWord is a long-form, conversation style podcast hosted by writer, poet, and music composer, Anuj Rastogi. Through nuanced and thoughtful dialogue with an incredible array of guests, Anuj explores the worlds of society, culture, art, music, science, current events and all things that comprise the human experience.
"I want to challenge and evolve ideas, intuitions and convictions. This world, is quite simply, nuts, and often terrifying. Yet, this same world is incredibly beautiful, inspiring and mesmerizing. I want to get to know people who are interesting, who hold varied opinions and have life experiences different than my own.
This podcast is my humble attempt to bring goodness, unique conversation and inspiration to the beach of human experience. This podcast is my love letter to the world, and to what it means to be human."
~ Anuj Rastogi
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    <itunes:type>episodic</itunes:type>
    <itunes:subtitle>Enlightened conversations about the human experience.</itunes:subtitle>
    <itunes:author>Anuj Rastogi</itunes:author>
    <itunes:summary>&lt;iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MhZxX7xYSuE?si=axB0H9zjPsYij5LH" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen&gt;&lt;/iframe&gt;

AwokenWord is a long-form, conversation style podcast hosted by writer, poet, and music composer, Anuj Rastogi. Through nuanced and thoughtful dialogue with an incredible array of guests, Anuj explores the worlds of society, culture, art, music, science, current events and all things that comprise the human experience.
"I want to challenge and evolve ideas, intuitions and convictions. This world, is quite simply, nuts, and often terrifying. Yet, this same world is incredibly beautiful, inspiring and mesmerizing. I want to get to know people who are interesting, who hold varied opinions and have life experiences different than my own.
This podcast is my humble attempt to bring goodness, unique conversation and inspiration to the beach of human experience. This podcast is my love letter to the world, and to what it means to be human."
~ Anuj Rastogi
</itunes:summary>
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    <itunes:explicit>no</itunes:explicit>
    <itunes:keywords>AwokenWord, Awoken, Word, Conversation, Nuance, World, Culture, Politics, Humanity, Science, Art</itunes:keywords>
    <itunes:owner>
      <itunes:name>Anuj Rastogi</itunes:name>
      <itunes:email>awokenwordpodcast@gmail.com</itunes:email>
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<itunes:category text="Society &amp; Culture">
  <itunes:category text="Philosophy"/>
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<itunes:category text="Arts"/>
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  <title>#021: Mugabi Byenka - "Beyond Skin"</title>
  <link>https://www.awokenword.com/21-mugabi-byenkya</link>
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  <pubDate>Wed, 04 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
  <author>Anuj Rastogi</author>
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  <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
  <itunes:season>2</itunes:season>
  <itunes:author>Anuj Rastogi</itunes:author>
  <itunes:subtitle>Anuj sat down with poet &amp; author, Mugabi Byenkya. Audio of this conversation was thought lost, however resurrected in the end to share this wide sweeping dialogue. </itunes:subtitle>
  <itunes:duration>2:00:00</itunes:duration>
  <itunes:explicit>yes</itunes:explicit>
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  <description>Anuj sat down with poet &amp;amp; author, Mugabi Byenkya. Audio of this conversation was thought lost, however resurrected in the end to share this wide sweeping dialogue. 
Mugabi shares key experiences from his life living around the world, how his parents gave him a foundation for strength, and what it's been like to move through life's challenges, adversities and triumphs. Anuj &amp;amp; Mugabi explore biases, assumptions and reflect on the role poetry and art have played in their lives. Mugabi's positivity (and laugh) are infectious, and his travels, both internally and in the world continue.

 Special Guest: Mugabi Byenkya.
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  <itunes:keywords>conversation, interview, human, society, culture, world, history, politics, love, art, humanity, poetry, author, africa, race, health, travel</itunes:keywords>
  <content:encoded>
    <![CDATA[<p>Anuj sat down with poet &amp; author, Mugabi Byenkya. Audio of this conversation was thought lost, however resurrected in the end to share this wide sweeping dialogue. </p>

<p>Mugabi shares key experiences from his life living around the world, how his parents gave him a foundation for strength, and what it&#39;s been like to move through life&#39;s challenges, adversities and triumphs. Anuj &amp; Mugabi explore biases, assumptions and reflect on the role poetry and art have played in their lives. Mugabi&#39;s positivity (and laugh) are infectious, and his travels, both internally and in the world continue.</p>

<hr>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src=""https://www.youtube.com/embed/rWZVdCjuaFg?si=ika8-3QdvvDShx_Q" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe><p>Special Guest: Mugabi Byenkya.</p>]]>
  </content:encoded>
  <itunes:summary>
    <![CDATA[<p>Anuj sat down with poet &amp; author, Mugabi Byenkya. Audio of this conversation was thought lost, however resurrected in the end to share this wide sweeping dialogue. </p>

<p>Mugabi shares key experiences from his life living around the world, how his parents gave him a foundation for strength, and what it&#39;s been like to move through life&#39;s challenges, adversities and triumphs. Anuj &amp; Mugabi explore biases, assumptions and reflect on the role poetry and art have played in their lives. Mugabi&#39;s positivity (and laugh) are infectious, and his travels, both internally and in the world continue.</p>

<hr>

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  </itunes:summary>
</item>
<item>
  <title>#006: Dwayne Morgan - "The Race To Pay It Forward"</title>
  <link>https://www.awokenword.com/006-dwayne-morgan</link>
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  <pubDate>Wed, 26 Dec 2018 20:00:00 -0500</pubDate>
  <author>Anuj Rastogi</author>
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  <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
  <itunes:season>1</itunes:season>
  <itunes:author>Anuj Rastogi</itunes:author>
  <itunes:subtitle>In this episode of the AwokenWord podcast, Anuj Rastogi sits down with Dwayne Morgan, one of the country's most prolific event producers, as well as a talented author, speaker and poet. Anuj and Dwayne dive deep into many important territories, from Race, the experience of being black in this world, creating spaces and platforms for others to shine, being a man, fatherhood, sociopolitical polarization, the importance of self love, and paying it forward.</itunes:subtitle>
  <itunes:duration>1:46:19</itunes:duration>
  <itunes:explicit>yes</itunes:explicit>
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  <description>In today's AwokenWord episode, Anuj Rastogi sits down with Dwayne Morgan, one of the country's most prolific event producers, as well as a talented author, speaker and poet. Anuj and Dwayne dive deep into many important territories, from race, the experience of being black in this world, creating spaces and platforms for others to shine, to being a man, fatherhood, sociopolitical polarization, the importance of self love, and paying it forward. Special Guest: Dwayne Morgan.
</description>
  <itunes:keywords>dwayne morgan, poet, manhood, masculinity, black lives matter, black, race, racism, politics, love,when brothers speak, when sisters speak</itunes:keywords>
  <content:encoded>
    <![CDATA[<p>In today&#39;s AwokenWord episode, Anuj Rastogi sits down with Dwayne Morgan, one of the country&#39;s most prolific event producers, as well as a talented author, speaker and poet. Anuj and Dwayne dive deep into many important territories, from race, the experience of being black in this world, creating spaces and platforms for others to shine, to being a man, fatherhood, sociopolitical polarization, the importance of self love, and paying it forward.</p><p>Special Guest: Dwayne Morgan.</p>]]>
  </content:encoded>
  <itunes:summary>
    <![CDATA[<p>In today&#39;s AwokenWord episode, Anuj Rastogi sits down with Dwayne Morgan, one of the country&#39;s most prolific event producers, as well as a talented author, speaker and poet. Anuj and Dwayne dive deep into many important territories, from race, the experience of being black in this world, creating spaces and platforms for others to shine, to being a man, fatherhood, sociopolitical polarization, the importance of self love, and paying it forward.</p><p>Special Guest: Dwayne Morgan.</p>]]>
  </itunes:summary>
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<item>
  <title>#005: IF The Poet - "Renaissance Reincarnated"</title>
  <link>https://www.awokenword.com/005-ian-french</link>
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  <pubDate>Sat, 03 Nov 2018 15:00:00 -0400</pubDate>
  <author>Anuj Rastogi</author>
  <enclosure url="https://aphid.fireside.fm/d/1437767933/830abd44-bbc9-43c3-b398-6883da3dcdb2/d6acad17-f6f8-49d8-8919-0896169af7cd.mp3" length="100333393" type="audio/mp3"/>
  <itunes:episodeType>full</itunes:episodeType>
  <itunes:season>1</itunes:season>
  <itunes:author>Anuj Rastogi</itunes:author>
  <itunes:subtitle>In this episode of the AwokenWord podcast, Anuj Rastogi talks to Ian French, popularly known as "IF The Poet" and finalist in the 2015 World Slam Poetry championship in Paris. Ian has been the subject of a CBC documentary, and is a respected performer whose work spans the breadth of our collective, and individual human experiences. Anuj and Ian talk at length about the state of the world today, poetry, the journey of creativity, masculinity in today's world, being honest, the nuances of identity politics and political correctness, self-love and the importance of knowing your own story.

[*NOTE: Though planned at the time of this recording, Ian ultimately pulled out of present at the 2018 "Men and Masculinity Summit" in Toronto, for specific concerns of his own regarding a decision for this year's sumit. He's continued to be a supporter of the summit, and the cause.]</itunes:subtitle>
  <itunes:duration>2:18:07</itunes:duration>
  <itunes:explicit>yes</itunes:explicit>
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  <description>In this episode of the AwokenWord podcast, Anuj Rastogi talks to Ian French, popularly known as "IF The Poet" and finalist in the 2015 World Slam Poetry championship in Paris. Ian has been the subject of a CBC documentary, and is a respected performer whose work spans the breadth of our collective, and individual human experiences. Anuj and Ian talk at length about the state of the world today, poetry, the journey of creativity, masculinity in today's world, being honest, the nuances of identity politics and political correctness, self-love and the importance of knowing your own story.
[*NOTE: Though planned at the time of this recording, Ian ultimately pulled out of present at the 2018 "Men and Masculinity Summit" in Toronto, for specific concerns of his own regarding a decision for this year's sumit. He's continued to be a supporter of the summit, and the cause.]
 Special Guest: Ian French.
</description>
  <content:encoded>
    <![CDATA[<p>In this episode of the AwokenWord podcast, Anuj Rastogi talks to Ian French, popularly known as &quot;IF The Poet&quot; and finalist in the 2015 World Slam Poetry championship in Paris. Ian has been the subject of a CBC documentary, and is a respected performer whose work spans the breadth of our collective, and individual human experiences. Anuj and Ian talk at length about the state of the world today, poetry, the journey of creativity, masculinity in today&#39;s world, being honest, the nuances of identity politics and political correctness, self-love and the importance of knowing your own story.</p>

<p>[*NOTE: Though planned at the time of this recording, Ian ultimately pulled out of present at the 2018 &quot;Men and Masculinity Summit&quot; in Toronto, for specific concerns of his own regarding a decision for this year&#39;s sumit. He&#39;s continued to be a supporter of the summit, and the cause.]</p><p>Special Guest: Ian French.</p>]]>
  </content:encoded>
  <itunes:summary>
    <![CDATA[<p>In this episode of the AwokenWord podcast, Anuj Rastogi talks to Ian French, popularly known as &quot;IF The Poet&quot; and finalist in the 2015 World Slam Poetry championship in Paris. Ian has been the subject of a CBC documentary, and is a respected performer whose work spans the breadth of our collective, and individual human experiences. Anuj and Ian talk at length about the state of the world today, poetry, the journey of creativity, masculinity in today&#39;s world, being honest, the nuances of identity politics and political correctness, self-love and the importance of knowing your own story.</p>

<p>[*NOTE: Though planned at the time of this recording, Ian ultimately pulled out of present at the 2018 &quot;Men and Masculinity Summit&quot; in Toronto, for specific concerns of his own regarding a decision for this year&#39;s sumit. He&#39;s continued to be a supporter of the summit, and the cause.]</p><p>Special Guest: Ian French.</p>]]>
  </itunes:summary>
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