St. Pete’s favorite street poet is set to be featured on national news. Gio’s Typos, the one-man writer of live poetry, was recently interviewed and filmed by a CBS video crew here in St. Pete. The segment is airing across the country on CBS Evening News at 6:30 pm on Monday, February 21st.

Gio’s segment can be seen live on TV or through the CBS app and streaming services. And if you’re in the area, join Gio’s Typos at the watch party at Driftwood Kava & Roastery at 740 Central Avenue.

Gio’s Typos brings poetry on-the-go to St. Pete

Gio’s Typos, run by Giovanni Cerro, is known in St. Pete for writing off the cuff, on the spot poetry at events and in the streets throughout town. Cerro will regularly set up with his typewriter outside of a café or somewhere around downtown and offer to write poems for anyone who walks up and feels like hearing something inspirational or beautiful.

Cerro has collected typewriters for years, and it was trip to the Pacific Northwest that inspired him to become a “poet for hire” here in St. Pete.

Back in 2021, Cerro tapped out a poem for us titled, ‘I Love the Burg.’ Check out the video of him reading the poem here, and see the full text below.

I’ve got a plethora of vices to make me stay.

I could get confessional at the Saint,

Or I could throw myself in overdrive at Craft Kafe.

Get lost in a walkabout all along the pier.

Watch the sunrise as old dolphins cheer.

Volleyball tournaments have my eyes filled with inspiration.

As the day comes to a close, I find a new type of sensation.

Cocktails shake by some of the best

Bar keeps in the bay.

Intermissions for that relaxed jazz-like play.

Without direction we bumble all around the streets.

I wish I had two stomachs for twice the amount of treats.

A laundry list of fun that I couldn’t begin to fit on one page.

St. Pete is my home and it has changed

My thoughts and how I need to live,

Inspired me to let out the artist that was doing its best to hide.

So we all put our life on the line to keep this Burg alive,

Cause what’s ours is yours and we have the recipe for life.