About Marina Benjamin

Marina Benjamin is an Assyrian poet whose work emerges from the experience of life in the global Assyrian diaspora. Active since around 2010, she has steadily developed a body of poetry that often explores memory, belonging, and the emotional weight of distance from a homeland. Through platforms like her "Ishtar's Poetry" Facebook page and Instagram, she shares her writing directly with readers, reaching Assyrians spread across countries and generations. Her poems aim to honor Assyrian culture while also speaking to universal feelings of loss, hope, and resilience. Rooted more in community than in formal literary institutions, Marina treats poetry as both creative expression and a grassroots act of cultural preservation. By engaging with her audience online and inviting reflection through her verses, she strengthens a sense of connection among Assyrians who may never meet in person but recognize themselves in her words. In doing so, she adds a distinctive, contemporary voice to the evolving landscape of Assyrian arts and letters.