Marcus Amaker

Author archive

empath (bones)

(a poem about lynchings) If the Angel Oak tree could talk, she’d tell us stories we don’t want to hear. Her family has been roped into being the backdrop of racism’s roots, her friends had no choice but to stand, stoic through storms that bore strange fruit. She’d tell you about the relentless weight of […]

Photos from recent school visits / workshops

(this is my life’s work. So proud to be able to visit schools and show students that poetry is alive).

New issue of No Depression on stands now

Here are some pics of the latest issue that I designed. I’m proud of this work! Click here to order a copy. 

empath (variations) – electronic music + spoken word

I can honestly say this is the electronic album I was born to make. Why? Because, finally, I feel like everything came together much better than any other of my solo releases. empath (variations) feels … complete. Everything I’ve learned about music production, design, publishing, mastering, song structure, looping and more is all here. I […]

Photos from the empath book tour

The tour is going well! Here’s some photos from Columbia, Sumter and Greenville. Audiences have been great and I’ve connected with a lot of wonderful souls. More coming …

I opened up for Tracy K. Smith, Poet Laureate of the UNITED STATES

I STILL CAN’T BELIEVE IT. Tracy K. Smith, the poet laureate of the US, is on a tour of small towns. She made her way to Adams Run, SC, and I was asked to read poetry before her performance. I STILL CAN’T BELIEVE IT. So, yes, Marjory and I were the special guests for Tracy. […]

Electronic music, in my backyard

it’s totally normal to play meditative electronic music in your backyard, right? open is a 21-minute collage of music, recorded live. It’s a warmup for a full-length release, later this year. gear used: Elektron Digitakt, Moog DFAM, Teenage Engineering’s OP-1, Folktek Nano Garden, Teenage Engineering’s PO-16. the free download is here: https://tapeloop.bandcamp.com/album/open-2018 and the video:

empath book tour: Halsey Institute, Charleston, SC

I asked some students from Burke High School to open up for me at a recent show. It was a proud moment for me to have these young voices amplified in Charleston. Much more shows like this will happen in the future …  

Two new interviews …

I was interviewed by Quintin Washington on Quintin’s Close-Ups and Leyla Gulen of Fox 24. Watch them both below! Let the media blitz for “empath” begin …

empath (book + journal) is here!

Happy new year, happy new book. empath is available NOW! the album version is up next. This book has my best work and my best design. I’m excited to share this experience with you. The book has six parts: Part 1: habit creature (love poems, a return to the style of my earlier work) Part […]