Poetic X

Hugh Hamilton, known as Poetic X, is an award-winning American poet and contemporary artist. He has recorded four spoken word poetry albums: Sip Therapy Speak Poetry Society (Jukebox 7 Records, 2024); Xclamation: “The Art of Poetry” (Jukebox 7 Records, 2016); From the Soil to the Surface (Jukebox 7 Records, 2014); and When Faith Begins to Flourish (Jukebox 7 Records, 2011). He is also the author of Poetic X 10, Volume 2 (2022) and Poetic X 10, Volume 1 (2017), self-published at his imprint, Speak-A-Million Publishing. 

Poetic X is the recipient of many awards and fellowships, including a 2025 Shreveport-Bossier-DeSoto African American Award, a Critical Mass 5 Performance Award, a Bona-Fide Performance Award from the Shreveport Regional Arts Council, the Scott Griffin Award from Community Foundation of North Louisiana, grants from the National Endowment of the Arts / Artist Relief and the Louisiana Office of Cultural Development’s Division of the Arts, and a Kallenberg Artist Tower residency from Shreveport Regional Arts Council. 

The director and narrator of his documentary Versified: Rated Poetry with Poetic X, he is also the founder of Speak Poetry Fest, Jukebox 7 Records, and Poetry House for the Arts. He is the creator of the poetry-based curriculum Flight School—Fly Poetry and hosts the writing workshop Poetrons. His initiative “Put A Poem On It,” the first major public art project by a Caddo Parish poet laureate, highlighted poetry in Caddo Parish in collaboration with visual artists. He has performed at various institutions and venues, including Louisiana State University in Shreveport, Southern University Shreveport Louisiana, Centenary College of Louisiana, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, Clark Art Institute, and Marymount University. 

In 2021, Poetic X was appointed poet laureate of Caddo Parish, Louisiana, serving through 2025.