RECAP: Brooklyn Poets - Whitman Bicentennial Celebration at Smack Mellon, DUMBO, Brooklyn

On May 31, was 200 year anniversary of Walt Whiteman, an American poet often called as "the father of free verse". Brooklyn Poets featured 9 poets on stage who won the poetry contest hosted by BKP prior to the event.

A notable fact to this event was that the youngest winner, Kelsey Wang who is only 16 years old, made her appearance all the way from Taiwan! For her, this trip must be the summer to remember all her life. I'd like to say it is one of the significant achievements of Jason, a founder of Brooklyn Poets, who told me his plan to build a online poetry community 7 years ago. Now his community, THE BRIDGE attracts more poets internationally, and keeps growing.

I'd like to congratulate all the winners and BKP for a small but a certain milestone they achieved that evening.

I'm not a guy to write poems (I know how to write Haiku in Japanese though, for just in case you don't think I can write something lol), it is always a pleasure to listen to poets and take photos of them.

Jason Koo

A founder of Brooklyn Poets.

Joanna Lau

Second prize, ages 13–17: “Between Dawn and Indigo”

Kelsey Wang

First prize, ages 13–17: “Redshift”

Tina Chang

Judge, ages 13–17

Rowan Ricardo Phillips

Judge, ages 18–22

Shamon Williams

Third prize, ages 18–22: “What Is It, Then, Between Us?”

Eliana Swerdlow

Second prize, ages 18–22: “Paro Chhu”

Robin Gow

First prize, ages 18–22: “Exhibit: Spontaneous Sex Change!”

Mark Doty

Judge, ages 23+

Desiree Alvarez

Third prize, ages 23 and up: “Primero Sueño, First Dream: On Crossing, A Whitmanesque”

Mark Doty

Constantine Jones

Second prize, ages 23 and up: “Screening”

Marietta Brill

First prize, ages 23 and up: “Crossing Manhattan Bridge on the Q”