When you think TikTok, you probably think of prank videos, viral rants and semi-naked people dancing. This is the majority of the content. However, there is also poetry on Tiktok, and it’s thriving.
An old man reading Hemingway might rake in hundreds of thousands of views. A pretty young person reciting a poem about their break-up might receive great acclaim. Poetry nights are broadcast in a way that feels much more immediate than they ever did on Youtube. Poets are given a way to show their work and, through a bit of clever footwork, sell their books to fans. The short form of TikTok has breathed new life into poetry.
Of course, TikTok poetry also has its own form of clickbait. Poems that are barely poems are introduced with tiles that say things like “this poem broke me”, “my dead wife/son/husband wrote this poem”, “this poem cured my cancer”, to convince you to swipe through. Self-righteous or self-victimising poetry is popular, as is generic romance content that any loved-one can be tagged in it. Some poems are hateful, or misogynistic. The open ecosystem of TikTok makes poetry clickbait content inevitable, and it can be difficult to wade through.
If you’re thinking of doing TikTok poetry yourself, I’ve noticed some patterns for poems that are more engaging than others. Video is king; even adding a grain effect to an otherwise still-image and adding a generic AI voice overlifts engagement (though, of course, it’s better if you use your own voice). It’s great to see faces. If a poet can perform for the camera, it makes it easier to understand their tone. Though a constant stream of content puts you front and centre of the algorithm, poets are also rewarded just for good poetry; if you can do a rhyme, and have a new spin on something important, your work can float to the surface. My favourite accounts that do this are Button Poetry (which have uploaded videos of poetry online long before TikTok existed, and Andrea Gibson’s work is particularly awesome), Lucas Jones and kmob1003.
I’ve been experimenting with poems myself using text and 35mm slides I’ve found at flea markets. I know this format isn’t the most algorithm-friendly, but it’s fun and I don’t see other people doing it, which is still an important consideration for me. My first poem, Ghosts, is below, and you can see a photo carousel version with an accompanying music track on my TikTok (I reckon it works better with the music track).
If you have thoughts or have favourite TikTok poets you like, please leave a comment, I’m always looking for more.
Ghosts
Been conducting your own experiments with TikTok poetry? I’d love to hear more via the comment form.
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