Flowers of the Litter is a collection of poetry of and for people living on the street. The works in this collection are produced by street poets who live in and around Portland, Oregon. Many of these poets are vendors, writers, and journalists for the Street Roots Newspaper. Their work graces these pages alongside the work of more widely known national and international poets.

This is a book of poetry for people who generally don't read poetry, selected primarily for those struggling on the streets. It has risen from the streets, dropping stanzas as loving rain. It seeks not to exclude in any way, and hopes education or opportunity precludes none.

All of the street poets in this book live in and around Portland, Oregon. Many are vendors, writers, and journalists for the Street Roots Newspaper and come to Street Roots for poetry classes weekly. These poets are members of our community. All are survivors. And some are no longer with us. It is an honor to have their work and creative expression in this book.

Lynette Snook

Kat Black

Bronwyn Carver

Joseph "Whitecloud" Smits

Dumpsta D

Daniel Toole

Maddy Brown-Clark

George McCarthy

Arc Angel Mykaiel

Shaggy

additional contributors

George Wallace

Bill Lewis

Resa Alboher

Pankhuri Sinha

Eagle Spits