Poems For Sale!

This guy was selling poems at 16th Street BART last night:

Image009

The sign inside his typewriter case said “Pick a subject and price then get a poem.”

Image011

I’m pretty sure I tried this one as a young lass, with no luck (newsflash: my poems were shitty).  Judging by the crowd surrounding this young poet, he’s doing much better than I ever did.

What do you suppose the most popular poem topic was?  Probably healthcare.

23 Responses to “Poems For Sale!”

  1. buzz says:

    I have seen him writing his wares in Oaktown.

  2. Erik says:

    He has spent a bunch of time on corners near Haight-Ashbury too.

  3. Erik says:

    He was dressed in a retro-nerd costume every time I saw him though, I guess the mission calls for more laid-back approach.

  4. Eric G says:

    That guy’s been there a few times recently. Yesterday was the first time he had a crowd.

  5. Matt says:

    I saw this guy at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass near one of the smaller stages towards the end of the festival.

  6. Edward says:

    I’ve see this guy around, out on the open ocean, in a dingy, wearing a purple slicker, waving around a freaking MARMOSET-RIB, and it wasn’t even raining.

    That’ll be three dollars.

  7. I have the same typewriter. It’s a sign. Or not.

  8. olu says:

    there’s another person doing this a woman who i’ve seen at Du Nord a bunch. her poems are pretty good.

  9. kapshure says:

    I think this has become quite popular – I snapped this shot last July 2008 @ the Fillmore Jazz Fest

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/kapshure/2648100361

    • Nate says:

      If by popular you mean three people are doing it…there should be more poetry in the world. So support writers you see trying to make their living doing what they love…and stop supporting so many shitty bands.

  10. Mission Mistaken says:

    So he’s kind of like operating a food cart, but instead he’s operating a word cart? Hmmm. The mind races.

  11. [...] this man wants to type up special poems for you, on the spot [...]

  12. I’ve gotten a poem from the other poem guy – and made a short film about him. http://vimeo.com/3098130

  13. [...] – Poems for sale at the 16th Street station (via MissionMission) [...]

  14. Dave says:

    There’s another Poetry Store, too. She’s really awesome. http://thepoetrystore.net/

  15. yoyoo says:

    His name is Lynn Gentry. A sexy, talented gent he is. Also, the woman “olu” mentioned is probably Monica Storss.

  16. breakee-ator says:

    I like him because he’s black. Black people are not usually good at stuff but he is good at stuff. Like a typical black person you can find him in the bart station or on the streets. I got a poem off him for 3 quality biscuits and a red shoe lace. I was a deal. I never read the poem, as I was out of toilet paper and really had to go boom boom. But it was a deal non the less.

    OBAMA ’08!

    • gina says:

      hi breakee actor you seen like a really cool person but I just want to say its not really cool to say that black people arnt usally good at stuff because every race is good at something, talent comes in all shades of color as well as beauty.
      stay possitive my friend God bless

  17. bad boy butch says:

    Lynn is fresh air in a city, in a place Haight -Asbury that needs some new loveeee…

  18. alexia says:

    I watch the trees move with the wind slowly turns me in a spin. Going upas we climb the hills being safe within our wills. Having faith within our faults feeling through these desperate times. Knowing we can survive. Finding out what I left behind all the memorys that I cried. Are you willing to give up this mess? Don’t give up don’t give in, you know I love you more to this. It’s a new day live each moment cause you have chose this.

  19. bldherenow says:

    Hello, I would like to invite you to join; The Poetic Voice Community. It is a writer’s site where you can enter contests – add poetry and get feedback. The latest entries are listed on the blog posts. Click on link, and check us out! Then join, and post.

    Website: http://poeticvoice.ning.com/

  20. All people deserve wealthy life and home loans or commercial loan can make it much better. Just because people’s freedom is grounded on money.

  21. I need a poem for an election night party. We are celebrating our right to vote, to choose between Mitt Romney, and Barach Obama, (or the Libertarian, Jill Stein, or Green Party, Gary Johnson, candidates). We’re going to have dinner, drinks, political fun, and watch returns from 7pm until . . . We don’t care who you vote for. It’s a celebration of our democracy.

    If you can write a poem that includes that information, I’m happy to pay for it.
    Thank you-,
    Nancy Feinberg