Poetry At Sunset

Featured Poets

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  Theresa Songbird

  Musical, lyrical, theatrical alchemist,s prinkling magic and hot sauce on every microphone she touches, Theresa tha SONGBIRD is a supernatural wellspring of entertainment. This Grammy nominated, viral sensation hails from the south suburbs of Chicago, and calls Atlanta home. Member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc, Theresa is committed to education and service in her community.  SONGBIRD is dedicated to making arts and humanities accessible to young people through her outreach in school systems across the country, while also using her skillset to provide talent consultation/coaching and production management through her company, BIRD Media Enterprises.

  ​Theresa carries the honor of her poem  “You So Black” having a viral impact across the globe,  and features with S.I.R. and Bridgette Kelly on Robert Glasper’s Grammy nominated F*ck Yo Feelings album.  Amidst running businesses and touring the globe Songbird self-published her first book of poetry, MASS MATTER MAGIC, and self-produced her own spoken word musical 4 tha BIRDS, which is preparing to tour.

  In her career Theresa tha S.O.N.G.B.I.R.D. has been blessed to share the stage with such wonderful poetic, musical, theatrical and comedic talents as:the Last Poets, Nikki Giovanni, Omari Hardwick, Marsha Ambrosius, Big Rube, Eric Roberson, Malcolm Jamal Warner, Killer Mike, Chrystale Wilson, Raheem DeVaughn, Ledisi, Dead Prez, Talib Kweli, Anthony David, Rodney Perry, Black ice, J.Ivy, Mikki Howard, Arrested Development, Robert Glasper, Jazmine Sullivan, MC Lyte, YoYo, Rapsody, Trina, Mumu Fresh and Jill Scott.

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  Acey Taalam

  Taalam, a child of the Newark Rebellion, was raised by a single mother who served as a member of the famed writer and activist Imamu Amiri Baraka’s community organization. Acey is an independent artist whose work has been featured frequently on TV One as well as the Documentary Channel and was selected as the original "number one thing you need to know about" on BET's countdown show, "The 5ive." Over the years, BET has featured and aired roughly a half dozen segments featuring Taalam Acey. The Newark, NJ native’s poetry has appeared in Essence Magazine and Susan Taylor, the magazine’s Editor Emeritus, personally invited Acey to perform for an audience of six thousand at The Essence Music Festival in New Orleans. Acey was a curator of the 2012 Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival (the largest poetry gathering in North America) and was selected as the initial presenter for the inaugural Baltimore TEDx.  He was also the guest curator of the 2011 Sacred Circle Cafe at New Jersey's most prestigious theater, the NJ Performing Arts Center.

  Taalam was honored to be a guest of Congresswoman Maxine Waters for the Congressional Black Caucus' 2007 & 2008 "Young Gifted and Black" panels. He has recited work and given workshops in several countries such as Mexico, Germany, Jamaica, Holland, Austria and approximately one hundred schools of higher education; including the esteemed Graduate School of Education at UC Berkeley, where he delivered a lecture on contemporary Spoken Word.  Taalam Acey has recorded seventeen CDs and authored seven books. Additionally, films that include his work have garnered an Audience Award (2002) and a Special Jury Prize (2006) at the Sundance Film Festival. He was featured in an acclaimed Radio-One London slam poetry documentary and Marc Smith, the founder of slam poetry, used Acey's work in his definitive book. Taalam was selected as a special guest opening act for R&B legend Thelma Houston and luminaries for which Acey has had an audience with and received accolades from include Max Roach, June Jordan, and Berry Gordy. Taalam currently resides in the Atlanta suburbs.