Third Thursdays Poetry: Ayesha Raees & KÁNYIN Olorunnisola

In person at Brookline Booksmith! Join us for an evening of poetry with KÁNYIN Olorunnisola & Ayesha Raees.

This event is part of Third Thursdays Poetry, a monthly reading series at Brookline Booksmith.

Register for the event!

RSVP to let us know you're coming! Depending on the volume of responses, an RSVP may be required for entrance to the event. You will also be alerted to important details about the program, including safety requirements, cancellations, and book signing updates.

Livestream!

Barring technical difficulty, this event will be livestreamed on our store YouTube channel.

Third Thursdays Poetry: February

Ayesha Raees (عائشہ رئیس) is a poet and artist identifying as a hybrid creating hybrid poetry through hybrid forms. Her work strongly revolves around issues of belonging and dislocation, G/god and spirituality, and beauty::cruelty while possessing a strong agency for decolonial, anti-violence, and anti-erasure practices. She edits poetry at The Margins and has been endorsed by the Asian American Writers’ Workshop, Kundiman, UNESCO, and others. Her first book Coining A Wishing Tower won the Broken River Prize and was an Indies Award Finalist. Originally from Lahore, Pakistan, she is based in New York City, and many other unsettled places.

KÁNYIN Olorunnisola is the author of the poetry collection, ARA’LUEBO: The Immigrant Monologues (Acre Books, 2026). His debut short film, Chiaroscuro, premiered at the 2024 Rising Tide Film Festival. His writing appears in Al Jazeera, FIYAH, Georgia Review, and the Chicago Review of Books. He is the founder of Sprinng Inc., a literary nonprofit, and former Nonfiction Editor of the Black Warrior Review. His work has been supported by Harvard University’s Woodberry Poetry Room, the Levitetz Leadership Program, Speculative Literature Foundation, and the Association of Writers & Writing Programs (AWP). He has an MFA from the University of Alabama.

About Brookline Booksmith

We are one of New England’s premier independent bookstores, family-owned and locally run since 1961. We offer an extensive selection of new, used, and bargain books; unique, beautiful gifts; award-winning events series; and specialty foods. Every day, we strive to foster community through the written word, represent a diverse range of voices and histories, and inspire conversations that enrich our lives. Find more at brooklinebooksmith.com!

EVENT ACCESSIBILITY

This event will take place at street level. If possible, the event will be livestreamed to YouTube. ASL interpretation may be provided (based on the availability of interpreters) but must be requested at least 2 weeks in advance of the event. Seats are limited. Please email us at ticketing@brooklinebooksmith.com as soon as possible if you require ASL interpretation, guaranteed seating, or other accommodations. We will do our best to serve your needs!