When I first started this book, I was skeptical-the confidence of a mediocre white man to do literally anything. In this case, writing typewriter poetry, something Sonia-Wallace neither studied nor was interested in before randomly deciding to do it.
That irked me. It always does.

Then I kept reading. Brian traveled the US, connecting with people of all backgrounds and ages. They shared a few moments. Art happened.

Art, I believe feeds our souls. How can you say art is worthless than consume it constantly, through movies, books, tv, graphic design, music, landscaping...? As a writer and theatre artist myself, I have found that I am desperately missing the communities that Sonia-Wallace describes in his book. I need to connect with art, other artists. My creativity needs it. I need it.
All this to say, I found The Poetry of Strangers inspiring. Not for me to go and write typewriter poetry, though I certainly could, but to connect with art and artists again.



CW: witchcraft, transphobia, sexism, racism, prison, immigration, religion, drug use, colonization, death of a child, vomit