Poets In Autumn is a poetry, spoken word, singing and ministry tour that began in 2015. The cast is predominantly if not all African American. The lineup includes Janette Itz, Jakie Hill Perry, Ezekiel Azonwu, Chris Webb, Preston Perry and Joseph Solmon, as well as two new artists who have recently joined this fall – Jasmine Sims and Jazer Willis.
I have been a fan of this tour since I saw them during their second tour in 2016. Having already been a fan of spoken word and poetry, when I heard they were coming to a seminary just 15 minutes away from my house, I knew I had to attend. It was such a worthwhile experience. Even though I am not a self proclaimed Christain or devout follower of Christ, I was greeted with an air of open-mindedness and familiarity when I saw the artists perform for the first time.
All of their poems spark not only deep rooted feelings but they are raw and sometimes almost too close to home for comfort. They spark thought within the audience and within ourselves. I walked away from the first tour I attended in 2016 with thousands of questions about not only my faith but what type of person I wanted to become in my early highschool years. After 2016, I have seen the Poets in Autumn (or PIA tour) every single year.
They have grown tremendously in numbers and followers, having performed in tiny churches and seminaries their first two years to performing in mega churches and large venues in these last two. Not to mention they have even gained international attention and following, going on their first international tour in 2018, I believe.
You don’t have to be a devout Christian or someone from the African American community in order to connect or enjoy this tour. It’s for everyone and anyone will be able to take away one message, song or poem that resonated with them.