About
Words Written on Corners. Poems Made for You.
Hi, I'm Shana — a New York City street poet who left the classroom to bring poetry back to the streets, one custom poem at a time.
The Story
I spent years as a public school teacher in New York City, pouring words into lesson plans and young minds. But something kept pulling me back to the street corner — to the raw, unfiltered exchange between a poet and a stranger.
So I left. I packed up my vintage 1969 Olivetti Lettera 32 typewriter, found my corner, and started writing poems for anyone who asked. No screens. No algorithms. Just handmade Greek paper, a well-worn ribbon, and the clatter of keys in the open air.
Today, I write custom poems on the streets of NYC — and ship them to people all over the world who believe that words, chosen carefully and made by hand, still matter.
The Mission
Poetry shouldn't live only in books on shelves. It belongs in your hands, on your walls, in the moments that matter most — birthdays, grief, love, new beginnings. My work is about bringing poetry into everyday life as a slow, intentional ritual — something you feel, not just read.
Every poem I write is one of a kind. Typed on handmade Greek paper. Made for you, and only you.
As Featured In
New York Post — "NYC street poet left teaching to pursue dream" (May 2025)
Bored Panda — Viral: How Shana handled street harassment with five words: "I don't waste my words"
Canvas Rebel — Interview: The journey from teacher to full-time poet
The NYC Poem Club
The NYC Poem Club is a community of 2,265 members — people who believe in the power of slow, handmade words. Membership is intentionally capped at 2,500, because some things are meant to stay small and meaningful.
If you're reading this, there may still be a seat at the table.
Find Me on the Corner
In-person poems are written on location in New York City for $55 — typed fresh on my Olivetti while you wait. It's an experience as much as it is a poem.
Can't make it to NYC? Shop custom poems — shipped anywhere in the world, handmade just for you.
Behind the Scenes
Follow along on Instagram @supergirlreject for street corner dispatches, typewriter moments, and the poems that find their way into the world.
Questions? Reach me at shana@shanaroark.com