Mario “The Poet” Willis named Milwaukee Poet Laureate

The Milwaukee Public Library not too long ago named Mario “The Poet” Willis as the brand new Poet Laureate of Milwaukee.

Willis is a poet, podcaster, efficiency coach and spoken phrase artist who was born and raised in Milwaukee. He’s a two-time member of Milwaukee’s Nationwide Poetry Slam Workforce; a Poetry Unplugged All-Star; and a mainstay group member of one of many longest-running open mic venues within the metropolis, Poet’s Monday at Linneman’s Riverwest Inn.

He’s additionally the co-creator and host of “Pancakes & Poetry,” a group celebration throughout Milwaukee’s annual Bronzeville Week Pageant.

For greater than 16 years, Willis has studied with a number of nationally acknowledged spoken phrase artists and award-winning poets, together with the newest Poet Laureate and present Wisconsin State Poet Laureate Dasha Kelly Hamilton, Buddy Wakefield and Patricia Smith. 

Willis has printed three chapbooks: “Love Extra Espresso, and Goals,” “Dimension Issues,” and “A Restricted Engagement.” He has additionally produced two spoken phrase CDs (“Forgiveness” and “Don’t Panic, Be Superior”) and maintains a weblog about poetry, efficiency and private reality referred to as “Don’t Panic, Be Superior.”

Willis can also be a father of three, a Brewers’ fan, group activist, volunteer with Starvation Job Drive and a member of Autism Speaks (being the daddy of an autistic youngster).

“My philosophy is that love is the one factor that may actually prevent and forgiveness makes love that a lot simpler,” he says.

Go to www.mpl.org/poetlaureate for extra details about this system.