Biscayne Bay has been Oscar Fuentes’ muse ever since he lived in an apartment that faced the bay. Back then, Fuentes worked as a bartender on a party boat that sailed out of Bayside Marketplace.
“On the party boats, we sailed around the bay, and I always contemplated on how the water splashed against the boat,” Fuentes said. “In the early to mid-1990s my friend started calling me The Biscayne Poet because I lived off Biscayne Boulevard at Bayfront Manor for many years, and whenever I would perform and show up at different poetry events, they introduced me by my full name and then aka The Biscayne Poet. It just stuck.”
Though Fuentes was born in New York, Miami and Biscayne Bay has become his inspiration and shaped his persona.
(Photo by Micah Marie Johnson)
Oscar Fuentes at Books & Books in Coconut Grove reading to a packed house from his newest release "Poetry City." He's accompanied by The Sam Hart Trio with Aidan Lombard on trumpet, Vince DuPont on bass and Sam Hart on drums.
“When my son was little, I put him to sleep facing the water, watching the pelicans dive into the water,” Fuentes said. “I was writing down my life journey and you do not realize what you are writing until much later. I wrote some nice pieces about Biscayne Bay.”
It was during this time, living in that run-down apartment that he wrote “Oscar the Clown” and “Body Burns,” the latter inspired by an eerie realization.
“I would get home to my apartment and see dust and what seemed like the smell of barbecue every day,” Fuentes said. “Then one day, while gazing out my apartment window, I noticed a chimney and realized what I was smelling was a crematorium. That inspired my book ‘Body Burns.’”
Fuentes began circulating the poetry scene as a performer. His first opportunity on stage in front of seasoned academic poets came thanks to Jonathan Rose, program director for the South Florida Writers Association, who used to run a poetry program at WLRN, and the late Henry Logan and who was a partner in poetry with Rose.
(Photo by Keith Spurlock photography)
Oscar Fuentes The Biscayne Poet reciting poetry at the Arts & Business Council of Miami's annual breakfast.
“Together they brought important names to Miami, did the poetry show together on WLRN and ran the program Butterfly Lightning at Tobacco Road with featured poets,” said Fuentes. “I showed up to one of those shows and they allowed me to read that night and it all started from there. For poets this programming at Tobacco Road was almost like a rite of passage, like graduating from the open mic nights.”
Eventually, Fuentes started the Oscar Fuentes Combo, a Latin jazz poetry group, and for four years they performed at museums and art galleries around Miami.
“I paused that project and that is when I started writing on my typewriter in my garage,” Fuentes said. “It was during this time that I laid out a plan of future goals and ideas and when I realized what I wanted was more connection with the community.”
It was in the early 2000s that Fuentes decided to take his typewriter to Wood Tavern in Wynwood, a local hangout and where he debuted his on-site poetry program.
“I had people come up and give me a word, just one word and I would write a poem on the spot,” he said. “This helped me connect with people, there were people that cried when I handed them the poem I had written. I was coming up with words right there on the spot and it became my way to give back to a community that was always there for me.”
In the early 2010s Fuentes was invited to do The Betsy Residency at their Writers Room. That stint inspired his book, “Four Nights with Betsy,” and from there grew a concept.
“I pitched the idea of my own residency and use those residencies to publish my work,” said Fuentes. “I pitched it to the Vagabond Hotel owner Avra Jain, she agreed, and I published my book, ‘Vagabond.’ I also did a residency at 1 Hotel on Miami Beach, one of the most eco-friendly, luxurious hotels, and my book from there is called, ‘Welcome Home.’”
(Photo by Keith Spurlock photography)
Oscar Fuentes The Biscayne Poet creating poetry on the spot at his typewriter at the Arts & Business Council of Miami event.
He is now poet in residence at the 1 Hotel.
Fuentes is also a presence at the Miami Book Fair, where he performs poetry and presents those books about his residencies.
Fuentes’ Biscayne Poet persona has grown into bookings for weddings, Bar Mitzvahs and annual events put on by the Arts & Business Council of Miami.
“Oscar has worked with the Arts & Business Council of Miami for several years at our Breakfast for the Arts & Hospitality,” said Renee Pesci, executive director of the Arts & Business Council of Miami. “He has provided poetry during our Expo sessions and has also performed at our 2024 Breakfast for the Arts.”
Attendees at the Arts Biz events are always excited to see Fuentes there, with his typewriter at the ready, to create poems on the spot.
(Photo courtesy of The Betsy Hotel)
Fuentes at the Betsy Hotel Writer's Room during his residency in 2013. "I was honored to be invited for a writer’s residency where I spent my days writing at this historic desk, once belonging to poet Hyam Plutzik. It was during this quiet, creative time that the seed was planted for what would later become Four Nights with Betsy, a collection of poems inspired by those unforgettable nights," said Fuentes.
“They know they are in for a creative interaction and will receive a custom and personalized poem,” said Pesci. “He brings a unique flavor with his poetry and spoken-word performances, engaging our Breakfast for the Arts Conference attendees in creative interactions. His presence truly enhances the experience at our events.”
Most recently, Fuentes has been a fixture at the Books & Books in Coconut Grove, where he began hosting poetry events in 2023 on the third Thursday of the month, including Evening with the Biscayne Poet. In 2023, he received the inaugural Miami-Dade Mayoral Poetry Commendation.
“I work closely with Indie Earth Publishing, and we launched Oscar’s book ‘For the Love of Leopards,’ which he wrote with Oscar Musibay,” said Elizabeth Solar, general manager of Books & Books Coconut Grove. “Once we had that initial book launch, then we organically spoke about him coming back and having a set day in the shop.”
Solar says Fuentes’ events draw a lot of people from the Miami Poetry Club but others as well.
(Photo by Micah Marie Johnson)
Oscar Fuentes at Books & Books in Coconut Grove reading to a packed house from his newest release "Poetry City."
“New people come as well as repeat poets who never miss it and drop everything and are there,” said Solar. “It is like a don’t-miss Thursday event for them.”
The monthly event is very loose, with Fuentes performing with a saxophonist and sometimes a guitarist for a live, interlude, beat-poetry session.
“It is very free form, anything goes,” said Solar. “His events start at 6:30 p.m. and end at 8 p.m. so oftentimes we have happy hour in conjunction with the event at our bar.”
Solar said they can always count on Fuentes to keep it fresh.
“We change the configuration of the room, and he brings different musicians” Solar said. “It keeps the vibe changing and interesting to the audience.”
The next The Biscayne Poet event at Books & Books in the Grove takes place Aug. 21 at 6:30 p.m.
Fuentes credits the people closest to him for much of his success.
“Without the support and love of my parents and my family I would not have this hunger and inspiration,” Fuentes said. “Writing has always been therapeutic for me, it has kept me sane and grounded.”
For more information, including a list of published works and poetry videos, visit