Poetry in Unexpected People

One theme, five storytellers, five poets. In 2014, Samantha dreamed up and co-curated, along with Jon Sands and Caits Meissner, a poetry showcase that matches five neighborhood storytellers to five Brooklyn poets to make emotional magic. After being assigned a story about kindness from a local Brooklyn denizen, each poet was tasked with writing an inspired poem in response. The videos below capture a moving showcase, partially funded by the Brooklyn Arts Council, that brought the filmed stories and live poets together for one unforgettable evening.

Enjoy the below digital artifacts of this unique project. Each video contains a story from a Brooklynite kindness, followed by the responding poet’s live performance.