Ankita Saxena

poet, performer, workshop facilitator

Mother | Line

Ankita Saxena is a British-Indian writer and performer. She is the author of a debut collection of poetry, Mother | Line, which released in April 2023, with Verve Poetry Press – a culmination of over a decade of writing, editing and performing. It has recently featured on Dishoom, The Guilty Feminist, and Desi Blitz.

What do we inherit from our mothers? From our grandmothers? From the legacy of colonisation and empire? Mother | Line charts lineage in all its forms, delving into female rage, compassion, and endurance. Drawing on the author’s British Asian heritage and experiences growing up as a woman in an increasingly violent world, this collection weaves together the personal and the political in ghazals, odes and specular poems, which hold a mirror to the world and to themselves. “We are daughters of Kali”, Saxena writes, and “mothers linger on the sides, hearing us become them; / our routines only theirs to thank for, our spices, / our blends, and even our greedy tongues.”

The book cover design and illustrations are by Peonica Fernando.

Order Mother | Line here

Readings and Launch Events

Where to buy Mother | Line

Online

London

Edinburgh

Other

“A sublime and considered collection, speaking to, and spanning lineage, inheritance, friendship.”     

Rachel Long

“A powerhouse of an anthology. Electric verse with a howling feminist soul. Bright. Witty. Poignant. Glorious.”

Deborah Frances-White
Mother | Line – Section 1
Mother | Line – Section 2
Mother | Line – Section 3
Mother | Line Section 4
Order Mother | Line here

Performance and Workshop Facilitation

Ankita is an experienced performer and workshop facilitator. Some recent projects include:

  • May 2023: Ankita performed poetry for University of Northampton’s Global Ethnic Majority Staff Network’s Poetic Justice Event to mark George Floyd Day. She read poems about privilege, protest and culture.
  • April 2023: Ankita led a 2 hour poetry workshop on sexual violence for a group of 16-20y/o recruited as commissioners for the charity Leaders Unlocked. The workshop helped generate conversations as well as original, provoking poetry from the young people around issues that impact them today. Following the workshop, Ankita pieced the content together into a group poem. This poem will be turned into a film, narrated by the young people, to influence decision makers.
  • Feb – March 2023: Ankita led two poetry workshops for a class of 30 Year 4 students at Reay Primary School, as part of author and academic Dr Karina Lickorish Quinn’s research project aiming to prove the value of multi-lingualism in schools. Following these workshops, Dr Karina will be aiming to roll out a national pilot of multi-lingualism creative writing workshops, to help instil confidence, creativity and cultural awareness early in young people’s lives.
  • October 2022: Ankita performed poetry live at the Hammersmith Appollo for The Guilty Feminist podcast.

Get in touch below if you’d like to commission Ankita to facilitate any workshops for your organisations. She is particularly interested in hearing from charities that support women, migrants and other minoritised groups.

Published Writing

Interviews / Articles / Podcasts

Taking my baby out for dinner @dishoom 😋 Poetry ft. jackfruit biryani, raita, naan, daal and bhel. If you want to support independent bookstores, you can now buy my book, Mother | Line by @verve.publisherofpoetry at the following places across London, Edinburgh, Bath, Ely, St Andrews, Birmingham and Margate: I'm taking Mother | Line to universities outside London in the coming weeks. My book Mother | Line by @verve.publisherofpoetry is 1 month old 👶🏽👶🏽👶🏽 Huge thank you to everyone who’s bought my book, showed up to my events & shared your lovely reflections with me. Here are some pictures from my family and friends launch, which took place 1 month ago today and was one of the most special days in my life 💕💕💕 Still smiling, 10 days after the launch of Mother | Line into the world @referencepoint180. HUGE thank you to everyone who came and celebrated with me, and in particular to the artists who made the whole night so magical -- @deshps16, @prerana__kumar, @poetpri_m, @sarahfovea, @zahrah_s, @amanithepoet & my DJ @n.noudle. Something new for you all today. A short story I wrote called "Date Night" that's recently been published by @browngirlmag, a multimedia company based in New York City with global reach dedicated to South Asian self-expression, cultural anchoring, and dialogue. Such a joy to see my book, Mother | Line by @verve.publisherofpoetry & illustrated by @bypeoni is now available to buy @bricklanebookshop in East London. Support an incredible independent bookstore and go check it out there. Beyond excited to announce the *final reader* for my May 2nd launch of Mother | Line by @verve.publisherofpoetry is... @amanithepoet 🎉🎉🎉🔥🔥🔥 I first met Amani at the glorious @thehennahparty & was then blown away and brought to tears when I watched @queerparivaar @destination_ff by @grumblegigglegoats. Libraries and bookshops are my spiritual homes. In recent weeks I’ve lost myself in @dauntbooks, @thecommonpress, @waterstones @southkenbooks @roundtablebooks @referencepoint180 and many more. If you are involved with any libraries / bookshops please consider stocking my collection, Mother | Line by @verve.publisherofpoetry. I would be honoured to sign some copies for you 🤗

About Ankita

Ankita Saxena is the author of Mother | Line, which released in April 2023, with Verve Poetry Press. She read English Literature at Jesus College, Oxford (2014-2017), where she was Head of Events at Oxford University Poetry Society, and President of the Turl Street Arts Festival. She has been commended in the Foyle Young Poets of the Year Award three times. She is a Barbican Young Poet alumnus, part of the Octavia Poetry Collective, and one half of the ORIGINS Poetry Duo. Her poetry is published in Wasafiri, Modern Poetry in Translation and Bath Magg. She has performed widely across the UK, including live at Hammersmith Appollo, with The Guilty Feminist.

By day, she works at Social Finance, a not-for-profit social enterprise, helping to tackle complex and enduring issues in society and create lasting and widespread change.