Joshua Wiss: Spoken Word Poet and DIY Wordsmith
Joshua Wiss is a spoken word poet, musician, and storyteller based in Phoenix, Arizona. A poet of deep feeling and vibrant imagery, Wiss captures the essence of modern life, love, death, and the perils of suburban existence through his evocative performances. With a background rooted in the DIY aesthetic, Wiss merges raw emotion with carefully crafted verse, making his poetry a visceral experience for audiences.
A Veteran of the Poetry Slam Scene
Having competed at four National Poetry Slams, representing Flagstaff, Sedona, and the Valley of the Sun. Wiss has shared the stage with some of the world’s top-ranking performance poets, proving himself as a formidable force in the spoken word community. His poetry is as much a performance as it is an intimate conversation, pulling listeners into the rhythms of his words and the landscapes of his mind.
A Poet Rooted in Analog and Nostalgia
Beyond the stage, Wiss is a collector of stories and artifacts of the past. He can often be found tinkering with typewriters, playing musical instruments, or sorting through vinyl records at his day job in a record store. A self-described feeler with a voice, he embraces the analog world—a poet who revels in the beauty of VHS tapes, cassette players, and the timeless swing of Louis Prima.
Themes and Style
Joshua Wiss’s poetry is infused with powerful, often dreamlike imagery, reflecting on themes of:
- Love and loss – Capturing the fleeting nature of relationships and memory.
- Time and the universe – Questioning the cyclical patterns of existence and the energy that connects us all.
- The human experience – Chronicling life’s highs and lows with authenticity and grace.
His poem Wallflower is a perfect example of his craft, blending themes of memory, presence, and the ephemeral nature of time. Lines like “every good party needs a Wallflower to stand witness and materialize memories” illustrate his unique ability to translate the intangible into poetic form.
A Legacy in the Making
Wiss’s work goes beyond spoken word competitions—his poetry is an experience, a ritual, and a reflection of the world around him. Whether performing at slams or connecting with audiences in intimate settings, Joshua Wiss continues to be a powerful and unforgettable voice in Arizona’s poetry scene.