In a culture increasingly mediated by social feeds and mass narratives, Found Poets offers something stubbornly analog: real voices from real people in a real place. Found Poets makes a persuasive case that poetry is not only alive but urgent—and perhaps best experienced in-person.
For Michael Giotis, the upcoming edition of Found Poets, on Feb. 7 at Petaluma’s The Big Easy, feels like a hinge moment. Fresh off a strong ensemble showing at the Petaluma Poetry Walk, he senses a shift in how people are responding—not just to poetry as text, but poetry as performance.
“I think people appreciate the unique value of poetry when performed,” he notes. “And that’s our specialty.”
That distinction matters. In an era saturated with content, poetry can easily get flattened into something passive or ornamental. Found Poets pushes in the opposite direction, framing spoken word as a live, communal act—entertainment of the spirit, yes, but also a shared reckoning with the era in which we live.
“At this moment in time when we’re so frustrated with the way things are,” Giotis says, “we may want to put our energy into things that are the way we want them to be.” He’s quick to note that there’s nothing wrong with how we often entertain ourselves via Netflix, doomscrolling, etc. But poetry, he argues, belongs in that same entertainment conversation—especially when it’s delivered by local artists in real-time confrontation with the most vital issues of our times.
This is where showing up becomes the point. “It’s the kind of thing you want to be putting your money into,” Giotis explains. “And your time is rewarded with a powerful show at a great venue and an experience of community.”
That sense of intention carries through the lineup. Headlining the February show is AJ Houston, appearing in Petaluma for the first time. Houston is an author, poet and creative writing educator often described as a “slam godfather,” with a long track record of shaping both performers and audiences. He is the founder of the Psychology of Writing Institute and the author of multiple books, including The Black Book of Black and Makin It: Life Poetry and Everything Else, works that braid lived experience, reflection and craft.
Giotis doesn’t hesitate when describing Houston’s stature. “AJ is like the godfather of the whole thing,” he says.
What sets Houston apart, in Giotis’ telling, is his attentiveness to language.
“So much of what he does happens in the magic of the page,” he notes. Even in performance, Houston’s poems remain aware of the borders of paper, of what form can and cannot contain.
The unsaid, Giotis adds, is often as present as the spoken word.
That sensitivity extends beyond Houston’s own work. “He’s a great listener,” Giotis says, “and in that way is a great giver to other poets.” Houston’s reputation as someone who actively supports and uplifts fellow writers, including Giotis himself, makes him an especially resonant fit for a series built around mutual investment rather than star turns alone.
The rest of the bill reflects that ethos. Alongside Houston, the afternoon features Bay Area favorites Jamie DeWolf and Audio Angel, as well as Sonoma County’s own N’Game’ Gray, whose work bridges vulnerability and urgency. Hosting duties fall to Josh Windmiller and Giotis himself, grounding the show in the community that has sustained it.
“We really tried to be as Sonoma County poet–focused as we can with our lineup,” Giotis explains, “and then bring in headliners from outside of the area, out of state like AJ.” When Bay Area poets return to perform in Petaluma, it’s not treated as a booking coup so much as a shared celebration. “Everyone should be stoked,” he says. “Come see them.”
Underlying all of this is a larger idea about what constitutes meaningful action right now. For Giotis, gathering people in a joyful space to process challenging and jubilant art is not escapism—it’s resistance of a quieter, sturdier kind. “Radical action takes many forms,” he notes. “I believe that Found Poets is one.”
Doors open at 3:30pm for the Found Poets performance at 4pm, Saturday, Feb. 7 at The Big Easy, 128 American Alley, Petaluma. $15.
