In honor of National Poetry Month, I have assembled four of my favorite poets who are worth listening to and whose poems are worth reading. Their poems will have you flowing with inspiration for days!
- Prince EA
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This Youtube-based spoken word artist has received over a million views on his videos for poems such as “I Sued the School System” and “If I was President.” He speaks on different social issues that are happening today from education to climate change, and his videos are also very captivating to watch.
Prince EA’s channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/thamagicsho2003.
- Poets in Autumn
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If you’re an individual of faith, then you will especially enjoy this group who call themselves Poets in Autumn. It’s a group made up of seven poets who focus on issues surrounding the Christian faith, as well as other issues, but through the lenses of Christianity. Each poet has a unique style that sets them apart from each other, but when they come together for their group pieces, the magic of individuality blends together into nothing but beauty.
Check out Poets in Autumn here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPO5YHlT01zycBM_f-RFeGQ.
- Maya Angelou
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Of course, I could not leave out the classic late Maya Angelou. Though she is no longer here with us, her poems are still beautiful works that will be marveled at for many years to come. She writes with such eloquence and simplicity that hasn’t been seen with many poets in this day and age. Her poems all tell a story and those stories range from life to nature.
Hear Maya Angelou perform here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JqOqo50LSZ0.
- Safia Elhillo
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Safia is a Sudanese-American poet who I relate to on a different level. I first heard her perform at a poetry competition here in Kentucky, and her poems had a soft gentleness to them. Maybe it had to do with her voice, but her poems speak on culture, colonialism and life. She is a new and upcoming poet who has to be watched out for. Make sure to check her out!
Hear Safia perform here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh5wSt-hfL0.