NAME

Poem Store, poet

LOCATION

Los Angeles, CA

OWNER

Jacqueline Suskin

Why Poetry?

I’ve just always been drawn to it.  I’ve been writing poems ever since I was a little kid.  It’s a very direct outlet.  It is this concise piece of writing and form of expression that says so much within such a small stanza, and that really appeals to me.  

How did Poem Store come about?

The whole concept kind of came from my friend Zachary Houston who is a really talented poet.  I met Zachary at some point on my travels in Oakland, CA.  He was typing poems for people on the street for a long time at random festivals and farmer’s markets.  He asked me if I had a typewriter and wanted to join him.  I had just purchased a typewriter at the Rose Bowl here in Pasadena, so I went with him and it was incredible.  The first poem I ever wrote for someone was with Zachery at a street festival in Oakland.  I sat down with him with our typewriters back to back and we typed poems for people for a couple hours, and it was such a good experience.  I knew then that’s what I was going to do.  I was going to do this for people.