A Brief Biography
Savon Bartley is a Black American blues poet and playwright from North Chicago, Illinois. Rooted in the tradition of the blues, he writes to document the scope and sweep of Black life in America—and to remind us that we are more alike than we are different. Through poetry, performance, and the rhythms of modern language, he blurs the line between poem and song while exploring race, culture, love, mental health, and masculinity.
Savon calls his work blues poetics—brief, powerful bursts of truth meant to move, resonate, and connect.
Creative Work & Recognition
As a poet, Savon’s writing has appeared in The New York Times, Slate Magazine, Afropunk, Great Weather for Media, and The Odyssey. His poems have been published in The Careless Embrace of the Boneshaker Anthology, in his debut collection, Liquid Sunset, and his most recent collection Uncut Blues
A former competitive slam poet, he placed third in the world at Brave New Voices (2013) and has spent the last decade as a touring artist, educator, and speaker. From The Apollo Theater to the United States General Assembly, Savon has performed on global stages and alongside artists such as The Wu-Tang Clan, Russell Simmons, JID, and Common.
Theater & Playwriting
Savon is a proud alumnus of The Public Theater’s #BARS Lab and Devised Theater Working Group in New York. His debut play, Holes in the Shape of My Father—a story about the myth and miracle of boys becoming men—premiered Off-Broadway at The Public Theater’s 2023 Under the Radar Festival.
His theatrical work has been featured in Broadway World and Playbill, and continues to explore the intersections of language, memory, and Black masculinity.
Art as Action
Savon uses poetry not just to perform, but to provoke. His writing has served as a tool for organizing and education, and he’s partnered with organizations such as:
The Black Panther Party
The George Floyd Foundation
The Sierra Club
The United Nations
Through workshops, keynotes, and commissions, he continues to use his words to inspire action around issues like racial justice, drug reform, climate change, and mental health.