14 Poetry Influencers Sharing Their Words

When you think of a poet, you probably think of the greats like Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson, or Edgar Allan Poe. However, there’s a whole new world of poetry unfolding. Poetry is now a mix of lyrical prose written for books or rap-like soliloquies spoken at poetry slams. Whether you want to read a stirring collection of sonnets or take in a local poetry jam, there are plenty of poetry influencers you can follow to stay in-the-know. 

14 poetry influencers sharing their work

Amanda Gorman

You might remember Amanda from the 2021 Presidential Inauguration, when she delivered her poem, “The Hill We Climb” before President Joe Biden was sworn in. She’s the first person to be named a National Youth Poet Laureate and generally writes about oppression, race and marginalization. Her 3.7 million Instagram followers get to see personal moments, like a poem she wrote when she graduated from Harvard and snaps of her family.

Sarah Kay

Sarah is a 35-year-old New Yorker who writes, reads and delivers poetry to audiences large and small. She has published her book of poetry, but despite her growing popularity she keeps a low profile on social. She only has a Facebook account, but her fans stay up-to-date on her virtual appearances and her company, Project VOICE, where she provides educational shows for school

Jacqueline Whitney

A poet focusing on reassurance and hope, Jacqueline shares some of her work on her TikTok channel, which shares a name with her online magazine, Thought Catalog. Some poems are set to music, while others are clips of poems from her self-published book. Jacqueline started writing poetry after suffering from a brain injury as a teen and has created a TikTok platform with 2.7 million followers.

Amy King 

With numerous awards for her poetry, including one from the Women’s National Book Association, Amy’s poetry collection can be found in her books and countless magazines. Amy is an English and creative writing professor at SUNY Nassau Community College. Today her X feed is full of her passion and reposts of her favorite poems.

Wilson Oryema

A London-based writer, artist and model, Wilson shares his poetry on Instagram. His many posts include an Earth Day poem written for the Green Future Project and his poetic thoughts on climate change. Fans also get a glimpse of his sharp fashion sense as he partners with various designers in the U.K.

Ocean Vuong

Ocean is a Vietnamese American poet who was raised on a rice farm in Ho Chi Minh City. He received the 2014 Ruth Lilly/Sargent Rosenberg fellowship from the Poetry Foundation and takes to Instagram to share his artistic talents with more than 304K followers. He often shares his life, including his favorite poems and clips highlighting his recent experiences. 

Ada Limon

With six books of poetry under her belt, Ada has a lot to say. She has a poetry-based podcast, The Slowdown. The Californian shares her rhythmic writing with her 53.3K followers on Instagram. Fans also get to see recent interviews and upcoming book releases.

Warsan Shire

Born to Somali parents in Kenya, Warsan moved to the U.K. when she was one. Her poetry draws primarily on her life experiences. The poet is an Instagrammer and shares the books she’s reading and some artsy photos for her 143K followers.

Andrea Gibson

Andrea focuses on gender norms and struggles felt in the LGBTQ+ community. They placed in the top five in several poetry slam competitions and have published several books. They post short quotes on Instagram, along with public appearances and private moments about their relationship with their partner, Megan. They have a few clips where they read their poetry, too.

IN-Q

A national poetry slam champion from Los Angeles, IN-Q, or IN-Query, has become an icon in the industry. He regularly performs at venues, including a performance available on Prime Video: “IN-Q Live at the Ace Theatre.” He has authored books, recorded songs, started a podcast, and has offered workshops. His Instagram offers his poetic thoughts, awards and personal milestones for more than 112K followers. 

Celia — powerhouseofthecel

With published poetry books on Amazon, Celia is an accomplished poet turned influencer who shares her work with over 2.6 million followers. Celia has her own style on “poetrytok” with her original poems and those she admires from others.

Michaela— michaelapoetry

Michaela is the author of five poetry books and a journal who specializes in poems about love. Michaela is a queer poet with more than 772.1K followers who follow for beautiful and powerful words of hope and wisdom.

Allie Michelle

Allie is a three-time best-selling author and a spoken word author who uses her TikTok to connect with 12.3K followers with poems about love. Her poems discuss modern dating and her experiences with love.

Sophie Diener

With her book, “Someone Somewhere Maybe”, Sophie joins poets on TikTok and shares her brilliant words of encouragement with her 234.5K followers.