Standing across the street from Georgia State University, Anthony Hickerson was hungry. His poems weren’t selling and he needed an uplifting sign. Then, an elderly woman approached him and the two engaged in conversation. She noticed his poems and referenced a scene from the 1995 film Before Sunrise.

In the scene, a homeless poet tells the two main characters that if they pick any word, he’ll write a poem about it. If they liked it, then they could pay him.

The elderly woman gave Hickerson the same challenge. She eventually paid him over $250 and set the rest of his poetry life in motion.

Today, Hickerson roams the streets of Eugene. He’s most frequently found, once again, outside a university. This time, at the University of Oregon.

The Emerald caught up with Hickerson to talk about his background and the power of poetry.

What’s your poetry background?

I started off writing poetry at 16 in high school. I moved down to Atlanta and started freestyling poetry and it’s just been going on since.

Has poetry always been a thing that you love to do?

Well it was a thing that I loved to do when I was writing and trying to get my feelings out in a way of not really being able to release it to anybody. Instead of holding it in, it was a way for me to say what I wanted to say and not really have to worry about anyone reading it, but in high school I started writing it down so other people could read it.

Would you say the experience with the lady in Atlanta is your motivation to do freestyle poetry?

Yeah. I didn’t really think I could freestyle poetry like that. I thought that I had to write it or read it. I didn’t know that my mind could actually make connections with worlds and come out with a whole form like that.

Is freestyling poetry still difficult for you?

When it first started off it was, because you are worried more about the connection or more about what people are going to think.

You mentioned that poetry is a way for you to alleviate pain in your life. What pain do you have?

Being physically abused and emotionally by my mom. I’ve been going through that for so many years. It builds up on you and eats away at you. It can be really damaging to other people and yourself if you don’t release it.

How do you feel when you freestyle a quality poem?

It feels good to know that, on the street level, people are enjoying it. They give me a couple of bucks to survive. Even if people don’t have money, I’ll do it for free. Especially if they seem to be a little stressed, a little worried and sometimes my poetry can help relieve the stress. You never know what type of stress a person is going through or what they’ll do in the next moment. It might actually help.

Follow Joseph Hoyt on Twitter @JoeJHoyt