June 4, 2011. Diary of a Billsticker – South Philadelphia, USA

It was Memorial Day weekend and by 8am it was already 70 degrees Fahrenheit (it would get to 95 degrees later). I had 80 to 90 A3 posters and I was carrying poems by Janet Frame, Chris Knox, Sandra Bell, Sam Hunt, Tusiata Avia and Robert Creeley. I did the run in under an hour.

Mexican music posters in this area are extraordinarily colourful. They are a joy to behold.

Here is how to do a poster run:

1. Before you go out, check for Homeland Security operatives in the area.
2. Whack each poster with the stapler as hard as you can. Don't be shy.
3. Get into a rhythm. Walking and stapling and thinking about poetry.
4. See people reading the posters as you go.
5. Realise you have made a difference.

We have a Phantom Billstickers launch coming up on June 17th in Christchurch at the Addington Coffee Co-op at 5:30pm. There will be 28 Kiwi poets featured plus one Canadian and one American. I am very proud of this launch.

Keep the Faith,
Jim Wilson