About the Poets Laureate
Poetry and Politics is the brainchild of New Hampshire Poet Laureate Marie Harris, who, when researching an article for American Writer magazine, discovered that while the position of the poet laureate is a longstanding tradition, most state poets laureate were working in isolation and had never met. Yet she also discovered that all the state laureates were committed to working within their communities and had strong beliefs about the role of the poet in the public arena. From this research, the idea of a national gathering of all state poets laureate was born.
Our aim is to provide informal opportunities for poets, guests, and the audience to exchange information, discuss concerns, and share their vision.
To see who’s attending, meet the state poets laureate, and learn more about how they envision their role, use the chart below.
| State | Name | Attending |
| Alaska | Anne Hanley | Yes |
| Alabama | Helen Norris | No |
| Arizona | No poet laureate | |
| Arkansas | Verna Lee Hinegardner | No |
| Colorado | Mary Crow | Yes |
| California | Vacant | |
| Connecticut | Marilyn Nelson | Yes |
| District of Columbia | Delores Kendrick | No |
| Delaware | Fleda Brown | Yes |
| Florida | Edmund Skellings | Yes |
| Georgia | David Bottoms | No |
| Hawaii | State writer position | |
| Idaho | Jim Irons | Yes |
| Illinois | Vacant | |
| Indiana | No poet laureate | |
| Iowa | Marvin Bell | No |
| Kansas | No poet laureate | |
| Kentucky |
James Baker Hall,
emeritus Joe Survant, newly appointed |
Yes |
| Louisiana | Jean McGivney Boese | No |
| Maine | Baron Wormser | Yes |
| Maryland | Michael Collier | No |
| Massachusetts | No poet laureate | |
| Michigan | No poet laureate | |
| Minnesota | No poet laureate | |
| Mississippi | No poet laureate | |
| Missouri | Vacant | |
| Montana | No poet laureate | |
| Nebraska | William Kloefkorn | Yes |
| Nevada | No poet laureate | |
| New Hampshire | Marie Harris | Yes |
| New Jersey | Amiri Baraka | Yes |
| New Mexico | No poet laureate | |
| New York | John Ashbery | No |
| North Carolina | Vacant | |
| North Dakota | Larry Woiwode | Yes |
| Ohio | No poet laureate | |
| Oklahoma | Carl Sennhenn | Yes |
| Oregon | No poet laureate | |
| Pennsylvania | Samuel Hazo | Yes |
| Rhode Island | Tom Chandler | Yes |
| South Carolina | Vacant | |
| South Dakota | David Allan Evans | Yes |
| Tennessee | Maggi Vaughn | Yes |
| Texas | No poet laureate | |
| Utah | Kenneth W. Brewer | |
| Vermont | Grace Paley | Yes |
| Virginia | George Garrett | No |
| Washington | No poet laureate | |
| West Virginia | Irene McKinney | Yes |
| Wisconsin | Ellen Kort | Yes |
| Wyoming | Robert Roripaugh | Yes |
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why the poet laureate?
The term "laureate" refers to the ancient custom of crowning
victorious athletes with a laurel wreath, and, historically, the poet
laureate is the champion of the literary world. Their work is to express
the highest level of understanding and artistic insight in the fewest
number of words. But the post comes with a responsibility: to promote
within the community a greater appreciation of poetry—its ability
to express insights into human experience that seem to elude "ordinary"
language.
The poet laureate is also the single writer in each state who, for a time,
has the loudest, clearest voice. The laureate has the potential to have
the ear of government officials and educational leaders who can most effectively
generate change—in the classroom and the community at large.
But why a poet laureate? With the exception of an occasional artist laureate
or writer laureate, this honor seems reserved for poets. Poetry
and Politics: Nations of the Mind will explore what it
is about poetry that warrants this kind of attention and importance—and
the effect poetry can have on the community at large.
© 2003 Poetry & Politics. All Rights Reserved.
