In the spring of 2016, I began writing custom poems for people I met in passing. A friend had the idea. I wasn’t sure anyone would like it, but I told her that I would give it a try, so we sat in a San Francisco park on a Saturday in May with a typewriter I had purchased from a flea market. I was surprised by how many people stopped to have their poem written. The first one I wrote was for a cyclist named Johnny, who I nicknamed our “good luck charm,” because of his happy-go-lucky demeanor.
The park poems snowballed into a flurry of art markets, weddings, and street fairs. I traveled up and down the west coast writing. I think of this season as my “street poem summer,” during which I wrote hundreds of poems, noticing trends that made each place unique. People in Portland loved the color green, in LA I wrote beach poems, and on a foggy day in SF, everyone appeared to be looking for a warm cup of tea to sip while wrapped in a blanket.
Despite differences in the details, there were common threads throughout, of connection, love, roots, individualism, creativity, and fate.
These poems are near and dear to my heart, as to me, they represent not words, but people. People who stopped for a moment, recognizing the beauty in the small pieces of time that make up a more intricate picture. Every single moment contains the potential for joy. My favorite aspect has always been seeing the look on people’s faces when they read their own poem.
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What People Are Saying
“Bretton is a wise storyteller and a kind and generous soul. Her unique, whimsical, original, and lovely work is a true gift. She created custom poems for an event I did, and her moving poetry touched us all deeply. It’s a pleasure to know Bretton and to experience the beauty and brightness she sends into the world.”
— F.C.
“It was abundantly clear that Bretton 'got' our love story. Her fairy tale reflected not only the chronology of our relationship but also the things that matter to us. When I read it for the first time I was overcome with the emotion it evoked and knew that I had received a priceless gift.”
—A.L.
“Thanks Bretton. I read it twice!! I like it a lot. I’ll keep it forever :)”
—P.P.
“Bretton Keating’s writing is the combination of your most frank friend and a compassionate tug to the heart. Always uncovering a new layer of the world around me and making me want to become an explorer of the inner and outer landscapes.”
— Anna Linder, Graphic Designer
“My husband hired Bretton to gift me with a wedding story the morning of our wedding. Ted kept saying that he had a surprised for me and I kept wracking my brain trying to think of what he could have bought that would live up to the hype he was creating. Once I opened the box, I understood. Reading through the fairytale I would unexpectedly come across one of our inside jokes and start laughing out loud! The level of detail which intertwined our story and inside jokes into the fairytale is what made reading this story a beautiful experience. Not to mention the prose and writing ability from Bretton. I love even more that this story is something we will have forever. as a wedding day gift, I think the fairytale story is the most thoughtful, unique and creative gift to have received!”
—Lauren Gambordella
“Bretton is a true gem, her poems are amazing. I love how she can customize and create a brand new poem. I have asked Bretton to write custom poems for a few of my jewelry clients and they all absolutely loved it. I especially love the typewritten format. It’s stunning and very personal. The poem adds meaning to jewelry that is irreplaceable and unique.”
— Jinal Sampat, Designer at Sampat Jewellers
“Everything was professional, easy, and timely. All I had to do was fill out a simple questionnaire and the perfect story was written! The story was amazing, it felt like the author had known us for our entire relationship. Not only that, but the story incorporated a locket that I gave my wife on the day of the wedding. The story took my boring gift and made it absolutely priceless. Now when my wife wears her locket she thinks of the wonderful story that was written and our wedding day! I highly recommend this service, as it is an amazing and easy way to go the extra mile for the ones you love.”
