Biography

In January 1999, Wakefield Brewster stepped onto his first stage as a Poet and Spoken Word Artist. Today, he is known as one of Canada’s most powerful Professional Performance Poets. A Black Man raised in Toronto by parents from Barbados, he has resided in Calgary since 2016, and it is in the New West where Wakefield has been able to truly flourish as a Poet and as a Person. Throughout his career, Wakefield has been published in several anthologies and he has produced two professional recordings. He is currently serving as the Calgary Poet Laureate (2022-2024) and was the First Resident Poet & Spoken Word Artist of The Grand Theatre House in Calgary, Alberta. He is also the Inaugural TD ARTIST INCUBATOR at Arts Commons, Poet-In-Residence, 2021-2022

Micro-interview

Did you read poetry when you were in high school? Is there a particular poem that you loved when you were a teenager?

I never read any poetry as a teenager, although I adored poetry as a child. I don’t have any poems that stick out in my head as favourites, at this time. However, I do know that I loved rhythm, rhyme, and storytelling, just as I do, today.

When did you first start writing poetry? And then when did you start thinking of yourself as a poet?

I started writing at age 16. I considered myself a poet after I scripted my first poem.

What do you think a poet’s “job” is?

Poetry has historically caused a fear and loathing from most people, and I believe that is primarily because of how it’s been classically presented, and the sources from where it’s garnished. Therefore, I find that most believe that Poetry has a ‘place’ and that they, themselves, do not belong in that place with Poetry. A Poet’s job is to take Poetry to The People and show them that Poetry belongs to us all.

 

If you had to choose one poem to memorize from our anthology, which one would it be?

Tinderbox by Tolu Oloruntuba; We’re are both Black Men who can speak to lived and learned Black Experiences.

Publications

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