Darius Simpson

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

Best of Button Week 384

“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!

LeChell The Shootah – “When the Engineer Fails”

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!

Adam Falkner – “Mr. Powell Was a Perv But I Didn’t Mind at All”

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!

Steven Willis – “Comrade Brother Hampton Addresses The People”

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!

Best of Button Week 383

“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!

Jane Belinda – “My Car is a Man”

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!

Desireé Dallagiacomo – “Be Mine”

Performing at AWP

“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 great poem from Desireé Dallagiacomo, performing at AWP in San Antonio, TX

Get Desireé’s beautiful book, SINK.

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!

Topaz Winters – “Ars Poetica #2”

Performing at the Button Studio

“These days every letter I write to my girlfriend ends not with ‘I love you,’ but with ‘I am so glad we are both alive.’”

Don’t miss this incredible poem from Topaz Winters, performing at the Button Studio in Minneapolis, MN

Get Topaz’s fantastic book, So, Stranger.

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

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!

Best of Button Week 382

“In my dream, from somewhere down a hallway of locked doors, a voice asks, ‘What if you aren’t as bad as you suspect you are? What if you will never be as good as you ache?’”

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