Meet Willie “Poetic Will” Douglas, the Founder of New Jersey’s Largest Christian Poetry Showcase
- Jewel Justice
- 15 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Before he was “Poetic Will,” a name recognized in creative circles throughout the Northeast, Willie Douglas was a kid from Newark, New Jersey who simply loved the arts. His passion, artistic environment and life experiences throughout childhood shaped him into the poet, performer and event curator he is today.
Growing up in a city known for its artistic culture, Douglas began developing his gifts at a young age. Starting out, he played various instruments while attending a performing arts elementary school. Then he started writing short stories to express his emotions.
“Newark was always just a creative place. It was like a canvas of art, though there was a lot going on in the city in terms of violence,” Douglas said. “I always tried to find the beauty in it, and with the beauty came me writing stories about what I’m seeing. That's where the artsy side came from: just growing up in Newark and looking at the negatives and trying to turn them into positives.”
It was not until the age of 18 when Douglas turned to poetry. He wrote his first poem in 2016, after his grandmother passed. His aunt, who knew he loved to write, asked him to write a poem for the obituary. Months later, he went to college and took a creative writing class, and he has been writing poetry ever since.
As both a writer and performer, Douglas has always aimed to tell the truth in his work, in hopes that his experience resonates with others who can relate to him.
He often drew inspiration from watching rap battles and listening to rappers like Lil Wayne and J. Cole. Once he became a Christian, however, he started pulling from the Bible and sermons he watched.
Now, he still desires to remain authentic, but his writing process and overall goal have slightly shifted.
“I start with God, and just say, ‘God, search my heart and tell me what it is that you want your people to hear,’” the artist said. “Then it comes into me and my testimony and what I'm feeling. And then, essentially, it's for whoever hears because I know nothing is new under the sun. So anything that I'm feeling or going through, there are people out there who have or will experience the same thing. Once I release it, it's for who it needs to be for in the crowd.”
Founding Open Heart Poetry
In April 2023, Douglas launched “Open Heart Poetry,” an open mic experience, at the Skil-Lit Cafe in Trenton. It was initially a regular open mic, but it later rebranded as a Christian-based event. The showcase features a time of worship, communal celebration , and performances from various spoken word poets, rappers, singers, comedians, and other artists.
“When you come to Open Heart Poetry, you just never know what to expect. It's different every time. … My goal is to create the foundation of all things Christ and creative,” Douglas said. “So you never know what to expect, but at the same time, you're going to leave very refreshed. You're gonna experience the presence of God in some way, shape or form.”
Along with his desire to center God, Douglas hopes to create a diverse, inclusive space where people of color – and Black people especially – can connect with each other and celebrate their culture.
“A good majority of the crowd is Black. Open Heart Poetry started in Trenton, [a] predominantly Black area. I just think it's something that not only the Black community needs, but just the community of Christ needs: a space where [people of color] can come together and worship and have fun without all the other crazy stuff happening.”
Since launching, the event has reached wide success, with hundreds attending each date. The event in March 2025 was sold out, and the event happening on May 30 has few tickets left.
More than an artist, Douglas has become a community organizer. In the future, he hopes to reach the arts community in Trenton by creating a Christian arts hub.
“This is an open mic, but something I do know [is] it's not going to be an open mic for long. The big term goal for me [is] to create,” Douglas said. “I want to get a building in the city of Trenton [and] build a church, but not the church that we think of every Sunday. [It’s] a church that's the foundation of all things creative in Christ.”
Overall, he aims to obey God.
“I [have] just always wanted the light of Christ to shine through me,” Douglas said. “[There are] so many things I'm thinking of, and God is still giving it to me, but until that comes to pass, I'm just gonna keep being obedient to every step that he gives me.”
Visit this link to purchase a ticket for today’s Open Heart Poetry event: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/open-heart-poetry-a-unique-christian-open-mic-experience-tickets-1330786471159?aff=erelexpmlt.