“I was taught that poetry was something dead on a page. But I come from a tradition where poetry is alive in the mouth.” — Benjamin Zephaniah

Spoken is the debut spoken word poetry collection from British-Bangladeshi poet Tahmina Ali. Written with performance and voice at its core, the collection brings spoken word to the page through rhythmic, imagery-rich poems rooted in dual heritage, motherhood, identity, and belonging. Moving between the personal and political with honesty, tenderness, and fire, Spoken explores what it means to carry multiple homes within one body while refusing silence in a world that often demands it. Blending northern cadence with South Asian rhythm, these poems are written to be heard as much as read.