Whitman on Walls (WoW!)
In November 2023, Whitman on Walls (WoW!) came to Buffalo. WoW! is a project of Compagnia de’ Colombari, which created seven short films with actors and musicians around the globe performing passages from “Song of Myself.” Colombari then took its films on the road, recruiting seven poets in each location to create and perform poems responding to the films – conversing with, talking back to, wrestling with Walt Whitman. You can now view films of the performances by seven of Buffalo’s finest performance poets, recorded live at the Burchfield Penney Art Center, and enjoy a gallery of event photographs by kc kratt.
“The Inevitable Us” by Jillian Hanesworth. Jillian is the first Poet Laureate of Buffalo as well as a community organizer, Emmy-nominated spoken word artist, recording artist and activist. Currently Jillian travels the country performing poetry and speaking; she also oversees “Buffalo Books,” a nationally recognized program which aims to improve access to culturally relevant books for residents of Buffalo’s east side.
“City of Shadows” by Brandon Williamson. Brandon is the founder of Pure Ink Poetry and the Pure Ink Poetry Slam, president of Ujima Company, assistant principal at Elmwood Village Charter School, and author of two books: A “How to” guide and Critical Lens.
“Gratitude” by Steve Peraza. Steve is a writer and educator studying high road economic development at Cornell ILR Buffalo Co-Lab as a Senior Research and Policy Associate. He earned his Ph.D. in History from SUNY-Buffalo.
“Sing Me Your Unburial” by J. B. Stone. J.B. is a Neurodivergent/Autistic spoken word poet, writer, critic, teaching artist, and editor from Brooklyn now residing in Buffalo and serving as EIC/Reviews Editor at Variety Pack. J.B.'s writing and performances have appeared or are forthcoming in Write Abou Now, NPR, The Buffalo News, Peach Mag, Star*Line, and Frontier. J.B. has twice represented Buffalo in the Southern Fried Poetry Slam.
“Monotony” by Brittany (Queen B) Johnson. Born and raised in Buffalo, Queen B is author of two poetry chapbooks, “Shoreline Baby” and “Taboo.” She competes across the country as part of the Women of the World poetry slams.
“Known and Unknown” by Autumn Echo. A performance poet from Jamestown, New York, Autumn is the creator of Pulse Poetry Slam, a mother, and a provocateur, deemed a “menace to society” by her local city council and school board. She was once called Jamestown's “underground poet laureate” which, she says, “was a pretty strange attempt at an insult because it's dope as f**k.”
“The Dynamic Canvas” by Glenaida Mercado. A third-year law student at the University at Buffalo School of Law, Glenaida spends her spare time building equity in the community. As a poet and song writer, she speaks on difficult topics relating to socioeconomic barriers and mental health.
