Laureate Writers Series Presents Samuel Hawkins II, Spoken Word Poet

Tuesday | September 5 | 7 pm
Blue Heron Coffeehouse | 162 W 2nd St.

Samuel Hawkins II, Spoken Word Poet, will read from his work at the Blue Heron Coffeehouse on Tuesday, September 5th at 7 pm. The reading is free and open to the public and will be followed by a book signing and an open mic. Please bring some of your work to share with us. 

Born in Clarksville, Tennessee and raised in Paducah, Kentucky, Samuel now lives in Rochester. Bluegrass, jazz and hip-hop all had a profound effect on him. He studied Sociology and Art at Bethel University in Tennessee. Some of his major influences were poets who participated in the televised show Def Poetry Jam: Andrea Gibson, J Cole, Rudy Francisco, and Shihan The Poet, as well as the kids he’s worked with in poetry workshops. 

Samuel has performed his work at festivals, colleges, and conventions in Tennessee, Kentucky, Washington DC, Tampa Bay, Vero Beach, St. Petersburg, Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Minneapolis. He has published two books of poetry, This is Why Kids Wanna Stay Up Late and the Greatest stOry ever solD. His poetry forces us to see homelessness, sexual abuse, relationships, art, testimonies, love, war, the light within us, our potential, history, and God. He is an entertaining and captivating performer. 

This First Tuesday Laureate Writers Series event is co-sponsored by the Maria W. Faust Sonnet Contest and the Blue Heron Coffeehouse. To learn more about the Maria W. Faust Sonnet Contest, please visit sonnetcontest.org or email entries@sonnetcontest.org. 

Photo: Samuel Hawkins II.

River Arts Alliance serves as fiscal sponsor of the Maria W. Faust Sonnet Contest.