Marcus John | Author, Poet, Teaching Artist
Artist’s Letter:
Peace and great day Students! I am a Poet and MC from Yonkers, NY of Grenadian descent and together we will be creating Poetry through wonder and wit!
Being a Writer brings me great joy. I grew up a big fan of Hip Hop and began writing Poetry and Raps at age eight. Writing Poetry or Songs has served as a way for me to express my feelings, connect to people and travel the country.
Also known as the «”Preeminent Poet of Yonkers” I have two published books.
The Peak of the Palisades (2016) and The Book of John: A collection of Poetry, Prose and Rhyme (2019). In 2021 | performed on PBS television reading an original poem “Smudges” in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Through my craft I’ve taught at Utica College, Delaware State University, and Virginia State University; as well as reputable schools and organizations including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Hudson River Museum, and The Masters School. I write with an open heart, while bringing in the knowledge and wisdom from experiences in life to tell an honest and relatable story.
Marcus John at City Lore:
“Dream On” a Poetry Lesson for Homer 2 Hip Hop
Students create a dream bubble drawing of their favorite hobby, or a future goal/dream. In the second class, students write poems or prose based on their drawing. Students will be engaged to discuss Dr. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech. Students discuss what was the purpose of this speech and if anyone can see themselves on stage giving a big speech, or has anyone done a speech already. They then talk about their own dreams, future goals, and/or favorite places to visit.
Big Ideas: Public Speaking, Writing, Expression, Poetry, Listening, Self Esteem Building.
What students and teachers say about Marcus:
During this residency, we wrote poems and songs. I realized that was actually good at writing poems even tough at first I thought I wasn’t. I really liked rhyming in my poems, the way the words sounded in my ears. A poem can be about anything you can ever imagine, fiction or reality. If you ever had the chance to participate, I would definitely recommend this program. We may now present our poems and songs.
– A fourth grade student at P.S. 69 in Jackson Heights.
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