It’s simple: a tea set + a typewriter + a conversation = a poem.

The Tea & Poetry Pop-Up is a collaborative series I began in the Summer of 2022 as a way to connect with new people through a creative playdate. We talk over tea for an hour or two then write a poem together about our conversation on my cursive typewriter named “Sunshine” (a Montgomery Ward Escort 55!). Both the typewriter and the tea set are very grounding, meditative tools in the age of screens. The perfect imperfections of each of the typewriter poems carry their own playful, personal history passing on the wisdom of our conversations to all who encounter them. Because I have a thing for set design, the gathering is usually quite an aesthetic production and a charming attraction in any of the cafes we choose. I also created a series of Instagram reels to document the process which have become quite popular.

A commission for this pop-up would include a full table set up with various props including a board inviting multiple people to write a poem together over a selection of herbal teas. Eventually I plan to exhibit the poems and create a typewriter poetry chapbook of my solo and collaborative poems.

At the end of the day though, it’s purely a fun way to play, fully immersed in the present moment, making deep meaningful authentic connections in a memorable way.