At only 25 years old, Blythe Baird is already one of the most recognizable and acclaimed names in spoken word poetry.

Originally from the northwest suburbs of Chicago, the viral writer has garnered international recognition for her stunning performance pieces that speak urgently and honestly about sexual assault, mental illness, eating disorder recovery, sexuality, and healing from trauma.

Her work has been featured by Glamour, ELLE, TEDxMinneapolis, The National Eating Disorder Association, Mic, The Huffington Post, Everyday Feminism, Medium, The Mighty, The Body Is Not an Apology, Write Bloody, Button Poetry, A-Plus, and many more.

Baird graduated from Hamline University in 2018 with a dual degree in creative writing and women’s studies. In 2020, she became the recipient of the prestigious McKnight Artist Fellowship for Spoken Word administered by The Loft Literary Center in Minnesota.

Performing at Little Island

“My soon-wife asks if we should bury a gun in the front yard, which is perhaps the opposite of a grave. A tombstone buried underneath the ground, waiting to be inscribed with a name.”

Don’t miss this great poem from Phil Kaye, performing at Little Island in NYC

Get Phil’s spectacular book, Date & Time.

While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out our books and merch, including books by Rudy Francisco, Rachel Wiley, Dave Harris, Porsha Olayiwola, Ebony Stewart, Andrea Gibson, and our newest release from Topaz Winters!

Darius Simpson is a writer, educator, performer, and skilled living room dancer from Akron, Ohio. Much like the means of production, he believes poetry belongs to and with the masses. He aims to inspire those chills that make you frown and slightly twist up ya face in approval. Darius believes in the dissolution of the empire and the total liberation of Afrikans and all oppressed people by any means available. Free The People. Free The Land. Free All Political Prisoners. His poetry book, Never Catch Me is now available.

Accolades:
2023 National Endowment for the Arts Creative Writing Fellow

“I carved my name into your desk, dotted the ‘i’ with a heart. When I wrote ‘Be Mine,’ I didn’t mean like this.”

Don’t miss this week’s Best of Button playlist, featuring the top-viewed recent videos on the Button YouTube Channel. Today’s addition: Desireé Dallagiacomo! Congrats Poet!

While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out our books and merch, including books by Dave Harris, George Abraham, Natasha T. Miller, Porsha Olayiwola, L.E. Bowman, Andrea Gibson, Rachel Wiley, and our newest release from Topaz Winters!

Performing at the 2022 Womxn of the World Poetry Slam

“I will always tell her she is beautiful. But I am not the one she wants to hear that from. I am not the one who has to believe it.”

Don’t miss this fantastic poem from LeChell The Shootah, performing at the 2022 Womxn of the World Poetry Slam in Baltimore, MD

While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out our books and merch, including books by Rudy Francisco, Rachel Wiley, Dave Harris, Porsha Olayiwola, Ebony Stewart, Andrea Gibson, and our newest release from Topaz Winters!

Performing at McNally Jackson Books

“Mr. Powell was a perv but I did not mind at all, because he seemed more lonely than creepy and I think those are totally different things.”

Don’t miss this great poem from Adam Falkner, performing at McNally Jackson Books in Brooklyn, NY

Get Adam’s phenomenal book, The Willies.

Want to be featured on Button? Submit to the 2022 Video Contest! Submissions have been extended until September 5

While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out our books and merch, including books by Rudy Francisco, Rachel Wiley, Dave Harris, Porsha Olayiwola, Ebony Stewart, Andrea Gibson, and our newest release from Topaz Winters!

Performing at the Button Studio

“Somewhere a Black Capitalist lies to himself. Says he is his ancestors’ wildest dreams cause he got a four-wheel drive and a house as big as the oppressors’.”

Don’t miss this powerful poem from Steven Willis, performing at the Button Studio in Minneapolis, MN

Get Steven’s incredible book, A Peculiar People.

Want to be featured on Button? Submit to the 2022 Video Contest! Submissions open NOW – August 31

While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out our books and merch, including books by Rudy Francisco, Rachel Wiley, Dave Harris, Porsha Olayiwola, Ebony Stewart, Andrea Gibson, and our newest release from Topaz Winters!

“Choose to spend your whole life telling secrets you owe no one to everyone, until there isn’t anyone who can insult you by calling you what you are: you holy blinking star.”

Don’t miss this week’s Best of Button playlist, featuring the top-viewed recent videos on the Button YouTube Channel. Today’s addition: Andrea Gibson! Congrats Poet!

Want to be featured on Button? Submit to the 2022 Video Contest, open NOW – August 31!

While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out our books and merch, including books by Dave Harris, George Abraham, Natasha T. Miller, Porsha Olayiwola, L.E. Bowman, Andrea Gibson, Rachel Wiley, and our newest release from Topaz Winters!

Performing at the 2022 Womxn of the World Poetry Slam

“How can anyone see this thing in need of so much maintenance, loud, and always announcing itself, and think, ‘Woman’? If this car was a woman it would fix itself.”

Don’t miss this fantastic poem from Jane Belinda, performing at the 2022 Womxn of the World Poetry Slam in Baltimore, MD

Want to be featured on Button? Submit to the 2022 Video Contest! Submissions open NOW – August 31

While you’re here, head over to the Button store to check out our books and merch, including books by Rudy Francisco, Rachel Wiley, Dave Harris, Porsha Olayiwola, Ebony Stewart, Andrea Gibson, and our newest release from Topaz Winters!