Mahogany L. Browne

A Cave Canem and Poets House alumnae, Mahogany L. Browne is the author of Smudge (available now), as well as several books including Dear Twitter: Love Letters Hashed Out On-line, recommended by Small Press Distribution & About.com Best Poetry Books of 2010. She has released five LPs including the live album Sheroshima. As co-founder of the Off Broadway poetry production, Jam On It, and co-producer of NYC’s 1st Performance Poetry Festival: SoundBites Poetry Festival, Mahogany bridges the gap between lyrical poets and literary emcee. Browne has toured Germany, Amsterdam, England, Canada and recently Australia as 1/3 of the cultural arts exchange project Global Poetics. Her journalism work has been published in magazines Uptown, KING, XXL, The Source, Canada’s The Word and UK’s MOBO.

Browne’s poetry has been published in literary journals Pluck, Manhattanville Review, Muzzle, Union Station Mag, Literary Bohemian, Bestiary, Joint & The Feminist Wire. She is anticipating the release of several poetry collections in 2015: Smudge (Button Poetry), Redbone (Willow Books) & the anthology The Break Beat Poets: New American Poetry in the Age of Hip-Hop (Haymarket). She is an Urban Word NYC mentor, as seen on HBO’s Brave New Voices and facilitates performance poetry and writing workshops throughout the country. Brown is also the publisher of Penmanship Books, the Nuyorican Poets Café Poetry Program Director and Friday Night Slam curator and currently an MFA Candidate for Writing & Activism at Pratt Institute.

Danez Smith – “Self Portrait as a 90s R&B Video”

Performing at Button Poetry Live

“There’s a room in my basement filled with water and gold and that’s it.”

Don’t miss this incredible poem from Danez Smith performing at Button Poetry Live, July 2016. Check out Danez’s book here. And if you’re in the Twin Cities, don’t miss the next Button Poetry Live show, first Monday of every month in downtown Saint Paul.

While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out our books and merch, including books by Neil Hilborn, Hanif Abdurraqib, Jacqui Germain, Sam Sax & more.

Sam Rush – “Wisdom Teeth” (Button Live)

Performing at Button Poetry Live.

“What is written beneath our skin does not always fit inside our mouths.”

Don’t miss this fantastic poem by Sam Rush, featuring at Button Poetry Live, December 2016. If you’re in the Twin Cities, don’t miss the next Button Poetry Live show, first Monday of every month in downtown Saint Paul.

While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out all our books and merch, including books by Neil Hilborn, Danez Smith, Hanif Abdurraqib, Jacqui Germain, Sam Sax & more.

Patrick Roche – “The Perfect Panic Attack” (250K Views!)

“Your arms and legs will go numb starting at your hands and feet, every twitch and tingle an attempt to run for your life.”

Congratulations to Patrick on topping 250,000 views on this powerful poem. Check out more from Patrick here and here.



And while you’re here, make sure to check out our other books and merch as well, including our awesome t-shirts and poster and new books by Jacqui Germain, Hanif Abdurraqib, and Aaron Coleman!

Donte Collins – “Old Rondo” (Button Live)

Performing at Button Poetry Live.

“Before they built that freeway, there was a colony of houses, lined up like heritage on an auction block about to meet their god.”

Don’t miss this excellent poem by Donte Collins, performing at Button Poetry Live, March 2017. If you’re in the Twin Cities, don’t miss the next Button Poetry Live show, first Monday of every month in downtown Saint Paul.

While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out all our books and merch, including books by Neil Hilborn, Danez Smith, Hanif Abdurraqib, Jacqui Germain, Sam Sax & more.

Bernard Ferguson – “3 Poems on Resistance”

Performing at Button Poetry Live.

“The sharpest blade I have is where I place my body.”

Don’t miss this excellent poem from Bernard Ferguson, featuring at Button Poetry Live, March 2017. If you’re in the Twin Cities, don’t miss the next Button Poetry Live show, first Monday of every month in downtown Saint Paul.

While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out all our books and merch, including books by Neil Hilborn, Danez Smith, Hanif Abdurraqib, Jacqui Germain, Sam Sax & more.

Best of Button Week 106

“My self-esteem is a helium balloon that’s been in the hospital room of my dying convictions for just a little too long.”



Don’t miss this week’s Best of Button playlist, featuring the top-viewed recent videos on the Button YouTube Channel. Today’s additions: Michael Szynal & RJ Walker. Congratulations poets!
While you’re here on our site, make sure to check out our books and merchandise in the Button Store, including books by Aziza Barnes, Danez Smith, Neil Hilborn and our new book from Aaron Coleman!

Melissa Lozada-Oliva – “My Spanish” (100K Views!)

“If you ask me if I am fluent in Spanish, I will tell you that my Spanish is an itchy phantom limb; it is reaching for words and only finding air.”

Congratulations to Melissa on topping 100,000 views on this powerful poem. Check out more from Melissa here and here, and keep an eye out for her forthcoming book from Button Poetry!



And while you’re here, make sure to check out our other books and merch as well, including our awesome t-shirts and poster and new books by Jacqui Germain, Hanif Abdurraqib, and Aaron Coleman!