David Dephy is a trilingual Georgian/American award-winning poet, novelist, essayist, performer, multimedia artist and painter. A founder and a visionary leader of Poetry Orchestra and American Poetry Intersection.
During the Russian invasion of Georgia in 2008, Dephy joined with other volunteers to set up a headquarters of civil solidarity under his now-infamous slogan “Stop Russia.”
David was exiled from his native country of Georgia in 2017 and was granted political asylum in the USA immediately and indefinitely. His family, wife and nine years old son finally joined him in 2023, six years after he was exiled from Georgia and granted political asylum in the US.
He was invited by the Columbia University in the City of New York as a featured guest poet alongside a Nobel Prize winner novelist Orhan Pamuk in 2017.
David Dephy is a former artist-in-residence at Art Omi in Hudson, New York. He has participated in the PEN World Voices Festival in New York City, where he presented a live poetry event entitled The Second Skin with Laurie Anderson, Yusef Komunyakaa and Salman Rushdie at 92Y.
David lives and works in New York City and is chosen as a Poet-in-Residence for Brownstone Poets 2024 – 2025.
His poem, “A Sense of Purpose,” is included in Polaris Trilogy by Brick Streets Poetry and is sent to the Moon by The Lunar Codex, NASA, in 2024, as a representative of the voice of mankind. This project was featured in The New York Times and other worldwide media articles such as Guardian, Le Figaro, USA ART Magazine in 2023-2024.
David is also a stipend recipient and a featured poet at Walt Whitman Birthplace Association in New York, 2023. He holds a master’s degree in fine art recognized as an Educational Equivalent in the United States of America as a master’s degree in fine art by the Globe Language New York City.
Some of his poems have been included in the teaching programs by the American universities such as: Stanford University, University of Pittsburg, California State University St. Bernardino, and the University of Wisconsin. Also was invited by the Cornel University as a featured guest poet for the Onward Series in April 2024.
David’s short story Before the End was chosen for the Best European Fiction 2012, edited by Aleksandar Hemon and prefaced by Nicole Krauss, and published in the U.S. by Dalkey Archive Press. His works have been published and anthologized in USA, UK and all over the world.
THE PRIZES WON
A 2023 Pushcart Prize nominee for Brownstone Poets.
Finalist of the American Book Fest 2023 in category of Poetry.
The Nelson Mandela Premium Award 2022 – “In recognition of the valuable contribution to the promotion of Peace and Equality through Literature, especially in support of Ukraine during this unfortunate war.” The International Forum for Creativity and Humanity Kingdom of Morocco.
The Artists Forum – the 1st Place Winner – “In recognition of outstanding work in poetry – the Best Poetry Work the Experimental Performance. 2021.” New York City.
Spillwords Poetry Award 2019, New York City.
BOOKS
The Recent Publications
SPIRIT OF SILENCE – Audio album – book of poetry & music by Crystal Speech Records. 2024 New York City, USA.
THE SONGS OF THE AMERICAN PROPHETS – Audio album – book of poetry & music by Crystal Speech Records. 2023 New York City, USA.
A DOUBLE MEANING (Adelaide Books, 2022, poetry – New York City, USA with co-author Joshua Corwin – The Finalist of The American Book Fest 2023 in the category of Poetry)
EASTERN STAR (Adelaide Books, 2020, poetry – New York City, USA)
He is the author of eight novels and fifteen collections of verse in Georgian language, and three poetry audio albums with orchestra and the band.
REFERENCES
“Deeply energetic, optimistic and determined energy.”
DW Gibson ~ The New York Times Columnist.
“So great” ~ Laurie Anderson
“A Literature Luminary.” ~ Bowery Poetry.
“Stellar Poet.” ~ Voices of Poetry.
“Incomparable Poet.” ~ Statorec.
“Brilliant Grace.” ~ Headline Poetry & Press.
“Extremely Unique Poetic Voice.” ~ Cultural Daily.
“Reading after David Dephy is like playing after Jimi Hendrix when Jimi finished his set.” ~ Aaron Fischer An American award-winning poet
“We were honored to publish your piece, David.” ~ Valiant Scribe New York Poetry Magazine
“We deeply admired David Dephy’s works. We enjoyed how he used nature to portray complex emotions, and we loved the intertwining of natural occurrences and human experiences. The parallels were really haunting, and we loved it.” ~ Lit Shark Magazine
“The way the David’s poem cuts fantasy with reality and highlights the relief of arriving is beautifully done. It truly pushes the boundaries of art, humanity, and beauty.” ~ Pena Literary Magazine
“Poetic Profundity.” ~ Amethyst Magazine
“David Dephy surely carries the spirit of America in his heart and adeptly builds up the poetry perception. I personally find his works to be extremely unique and attractive. David Dephy’s poetic voice is strong, his poetic world is extraordinarily rich.” ~ Linda Galbraith for Cultural Daily
“We were honored to publish your piece, David.” ~ Valiant Scribe New York Poetry Magazine
“We deeply admired David Dephy’s works. We enjoyed how he used nature to portray complex emotions, and we loved the intertwining of natural occurrences and human experiences. The parallels were really haunting, and we loved it.” ~ Lit Shark Magazine
“David Dephy doesn’t just write poetry, he is poetry.” ~ Lucas Hirsch International Award-Winning Poet and Novelist
“The way the David’s poem cuts fantasy with reality and highlights the relief of arriving is beautifully done. It truly pushes the boundaries of art, humanity, and beauty.” ~ Pena Literary Magazine
“What a lovely prayer!” ~ Alicia Viguer-Espert – Life and Legends Magazine an American Poet and Essayist
“Profound, understated, conclusive, rhythmic, repetitive. A maestro at work!” ~ Elizabeth Cusack for Fevers of the Mind Magazine / An American Poet and Essayist
“David Dephy’s mesmerizing talent captivates listeners, hypnotizes everyone in the hall, drawing them into a whirlwind of emotion.” ~ Poetry Forum
“We deeply admired David Dephy’s works, we loved the intertwining of natural occurrences and human experiences. The parallels were really haunting.” ~ McKenzie Lynn Tozan / An Editor of Lit Shark and American Essayist and Poet
“David Dephy captures the essence of these turbulent times with his evocative language. His work often addresses themes of history, identity, and the human condition.” ~ Litehouse
“These poems are filled with life—not just any life, but deeply energetic, optimistic, and determined energy. Reading through these pages has been the most vivifying experience I’ve had in a long time.” ~ DW Gibson The New York Times columnist, national award-winning writer & journalist.