You’ve probably heard of TikTok, the video sharing social media platform that’s taken over the internet. Especially popular with Gen Z, TikTok has over 650 million users globally and has spawned all manner of memes and cultural exports, from dance moves to viral pasta recipes.
But have you discovered one of the app’s more literary trends, #PoetryTok? With over 60 million views and counting, this corner of TikTok represents an innovative new way of sharing poetry in the digital era.
As the platform continues to grow and evolve, it’s worth keeping these popular TikTok poets on your radar
Donovan Beck (@themindofsol)
[ Visit Donovan Beck on TikTok ]
With over 340,000 followers, 5 million video likes and a published anthology (A Fool’s Guide to the Universe), Beck is probably one of the most famous and well-known TikTok poets. His most-watched video, “A Friendly Reminder“, has clocked over 14 million views.
Beck’s videos typically feature him speaking directly to the camera, reciting his poems aloud with a practiced rhythm. The dark lighting and quiet background music create an intimate, cosy atmosphere; each video almost feels like a late-night conversation with a friend or a quiet open-mic session at a coffee shop.
His poem, “A Letter to the Broken-hearted”, is a perfect example of this style.
Morgan Harper Nichols (@morganharpernichols)
[ Visit Morgan Harper Nichols on TikTok ]
Blending her poetry with beautiful graphics and animation, Nichols’s work is a demonstration of the multimedia artistry taking place on TikTok. Making the most of the app’s voiceover and soundtrack features, Nichols recites her spoken word poetry alongside powerful images and video clips, usually including natural imagery like growing leaves and flocks of birds.
One of the best examples of her work, “for the one who is waiting”, features a raised hand holding a pocket watch as the animated background transitions from the night sky to sunrise, the sequence interspersed with words like “TRUST” and “PEACE.”
Len Pennie (@misspunnypennie)
[ Visit Len Pennie on TikTok ]
Len Pennie’s account celebrates the Scots language, sharing “word ae the day” videos, comedy sketches and, of course, “poyums.”
Using text captions, Pennie provides subtitles for her spoken word poems in a mixture of Scots and English. Despite this, she is often found explaining the meaning of certain phrases to confused users in the comments section: “Genuinely curious and trying to learn, but what’s the difference between children and weans?”
Pennie’s poetry has gained an international following on the platform, sharing the Scots language with new audiences both at home and abroad. Her video, “Yours”, has over 154,000 views.
Christa Rae (@christaraepoetry)
[ Visit Christa Rae on TikTok ]
Many of Christa Rae’s spoken word poems are shot as car seat confessionals; she recites her words directly to her phone, which seems to be propped up on the dashboard.
Dealing with first heartbreaks and bad relationships, Rae’s poems focus primarily on mental health and learning to appreciate your self-worth. Considering the average age range of users on TikTok, it’s not surprising that the subject matter of her poems has resonated with viewers and gained traction on the platform.
Her video, “Dear Boston”, explores what it is like to out-grow and drift away from places and people.
Sophie Diener (@sophiediener)
[ Visit Sophie Diener on TikTok ]
As her bio states, Diener has “lots of feelings” about many different topics. Armed with her trusty notebook, she creates poetry videos about everything from beauty standards and insecurities to nostalgia and childhood.
Diener films a lot of her videos outside or in brightly lit interiors, matching the positive messages in many of her poems. There is a sense of spontaneity to her location choices if not to her words, which are always carefully recited from her notebook.
“you remind me of so many lovely things!”, captures the essence of Diener’s poetry, advocating for self-love and acceptance through celestial imagery.
Mhari Nimmo is an aspiring writer, currently working as a Communications Assistant and part-time English Tutor. She graduated in 2020 from the University of St Andrews with a degree in Comparative Literature and English. Interested in all things digital arts and literature, she started her blog Quirk-E to write more about the topic. Twitter: @mharinimmo.