The heart of poesy
Our Poets, Across Canada
We’re picky with our poets –in a good way. Our poets are diverse, thoughtful, hilarious, honest, and so much more. We invite you to see yourself in the timeless art of poetry and to inspire your own. Because the more of us writing together, the better.
From Toronto to Vancouver, Calgary to Montreal — Poesy’s award-winning poets help bring your story to life. We’re proud to offer writing experiences in multiple languages, including English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Urdu, Hindi, Tamil, Serbian, and Croatian. Because connection should feel personal, no matter where you are or what language you speak.
Daniella
FOUNDER
Daniella Zanchi (she/her) is the founder of Poesy, North America’s only poet-powered events agency. What began with a single vintage typewriter and a love of helping people tell their stories has grown into a movement to inspire joy through literary experiences. She created Poesy to help more people experience the wonder, connection, and unexpected adventure of being swept away by words.
Tisania
Tisania “SpokenByT” Smith (she/her) is a Toronto-based spoken word poet whose work is rooted in vulnerability, intention, and the desire to make people feel seen. She writes to preserve intimacy in a fast-moving world. Blending lyrical softness with raw, conversational truth, her poetry invites reflection, healing, and genuine human connection.
Christopher
Chris Ferreiras (he/him) is an artist, author and poet with a magic for depth and universal truths. Chris is an established poet with a published book ‘The Sun Underground & All The Colors In Between’.
Andrea
Andrea Josic (she/her) is Mississauga’s Poet Laureate (2024–2026), sparking joy, healing, and belonging through her work as a spoken word artist, educator, and published poet. Her poetry is vivid with imagery and deeply relatable, inviting people to see themselves in her words.
Mary
Mary Kelly (she/her) is a New Zealand-Canadian poet, and current MFA candidate at The University of British Columbia. She adores all things poetry, such as falling leaves and blackbirds sitting on power lines. Some of her favourite poets are Madeleine Cravens, Courtney Bush, and Tony Hoagland.
Martin
Martin Gomes (he/they) brings poetry to spaces where authenticity and empathy can thrive, often with a sense of humor that makes people laugh. Through their work, they aim to spread messages of love and understanding amidst the noise of everyday life.
Jessica
Jessica Aftimus Rosa (she/her) is a writer, editor, and multimedia creator whose work has appeared across major Canadian publications, including The Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, Canadian Business, Today’s Parent, and FLARE. She moves fluidly between journalism and storytelling, bringing a distinct voice that combines editorial clarity with creative personality.
Liana
Liana Cusmano (they/them) is a three-time Montreal Slam Champion.They are passionate about using poetry to help build community, and they love to use words to express different truths as honestly and as beautifully as possible.
Kasra
Kasra Kooshafar (he/him) is a local Toronto writer, poet, and event organizer. He’s been writing for over a decade, inspired by the power and resiliency of self expression. His writing is filled with analogies and metaphors to nature, life, love, and self-discovery.
Desiree
Desiree McKenzie (she/her) is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist, poet, arts educator, and national poetry slam champion. Her work has been featured by CBC, Button Poetry, and Kids Help Phone, and she opened for Rupi Kaur at Massey Hall. Inspired by her Black and Indo-Caribbean heritage, her poetry celebrates the stories that make us who we are.
Bianca
Bianca Modi (she/her) is a South Asian-Canadian writer whose work explores identity, social justice, and personal transformation. Author of The Art of Creation and co-founder of the Stay Woke Organization, she uses storytelling to challenge perspectives, foster awareness, and inspire meaningful change through both art and community engagement.
Amana
Amana Park (she/her) is a multidisciplinary poet and community builder who believes in the healing power of storytelling. Through poetry, painting, film, and spoken word performance, she creates spaces where people can connect, feel seen, and process their own journeys.
Angelica
Angelica "Vee" Ruiz Rodriguez (she/her) is a poet whose work explores the beauty and complexity of the human experience. With a narrative, soft-spoken, and deeply emotional style, she writes to express without boundaries, inviting readers into moments of reflection, presence, and connection.
Shanukha
Shanukha Thivyanath (she/her) is a queer, first-generation Tamil Canadian poet, midwife, musician, and dancer. Her published work, Exothermia (2022), explores identity, culture, and belonging. Through poetry in both English and Tamil, she creates meaningful connections while drawing on her passion for community, storytelling, and care.
Neha
Neha Vashist (she/her) is a Calgary-based poet who writes with a deep love for people and the moments that bind them together. Her work is intimate and lyrical, turning everyday details into imagery that lingers like memory.
Marie
Marie Whalen (she/her) is a Haitian-Canadian slam poet based in Montreal. She believes art is a form of medicine, helping people connect with themselves and others. A regular presence in Montreal’s slam community, she competed at the Canadian Individual Poetry Slam (CIPS) in 2025 and brings a deep love of storytelling to her work.