I See In Words–poetry + film!

Poets writing through movies—it’s a thing!

In this series, Durham Poet Laureate Chris Vitiello (aka The Poetry Fox) screens a classic subtitled film and poets in the audience will write poems in the dark throughout the movie. Then, after the movie, they’ll read a bit of what they wrote. And you can write and read too!

For this episode, we have one of the most visually and textually beautiful movies in recent memory—Jessica Beshir’s Faya Dayi (2021), a trancelike American-Ethiopian documentary that explores the social and religious rituals of khat, a psychoactive plant that plays an important role in Ethiopia’s economy and culture. Don’t expect any conventional documentary form—this is more like a 118-minute dream journey. And the text is sheer poetry. You have not before seen a movie like this one.

“I See In Words” is organized by Chris Vitiello, who takes notes in the dark all the time, even when it’s light out. The Durham Poet Laureate is a part of the City of Durham Cultural & Public Art Program.
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