LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – The Michigan Department of Education and the Library of Michigan are seeking public nominations for the next Michigan Poet Laureate.
The Poet Laureate will meet with students, teachers, and residents across the state in schools and libraries to promote poetry, spoken word, and literary arts.
The state has only had two previous Poet Laureates. The first was appointed by the state legislature in 1952. Edgar A. Guest served as Michigan’s first Poet Laureate until his death in 1959.
The state then went without a new appointee for 64 years. The current Poet Laureate, Nandi Comer, wasn’t appointed until 2023.
Mindy Babarskis, Librarian for the Michigan Collection, said with the appropriations secured for another year, they are hoping to prioritize public input by opening up the application this time around.
“Poets there are some of the few authors who really speak so strongly to our current state and can speak real truth to power. Poets are very powerful because you have so few words, you have to be so careful about what words you use. There needs to be this deeper meaning.” Babarskis said. “It takes a lot of skill to be a good poet, and so to be able to promote that and to also encourage others to really engage with their own skill and their own ability to write, to have a poet laureate and ambassador to promote that, and to keep that literacy, I think is so important.”
Nominations can be submitted through the online form found at Michigan.gov/PoetLaureate. The LOM provided a list of qualifications for submissions. To be considered, nominees must:
- Be 18 years or older with a current primary residency in Michigan.
- Have a robust and sustained body of work.
- Be an experienced and skilled poet within the literary and/or performance formats.
- Have the ability to work independently and have good rapport with various audiences.
- Be skilled at communicating in public and with the media.
- Have strong social media and promotional skills.
- Have experience working with audiences of all ages.
Adam Oster, Community Engagement Librarian with the LOM explained that nominees must submit a list or provide links to three work samples and a statement of why they should be considered for the position of Michigan poet laureate, self-nominations are also accepted.
“It’s a way of communication that is somewhat unique, but at the same time so universal that people can showcase their thoughts and feelings in a way that resonates and has that sense of catharsis and is very approachable, but also very powerful, and that it can showcase feelings and emotion that either an individual or a large group has.”
Adam Oster, State of Michigan Community Engaggement Librarian
The selected nominee will serve a two-year term starting in 2025. All nominations must be received by May 20, 2024. A selection committee of MDE staff, Michigan poets, and literacy experts will review all nominated poets. The committee will provide a list of finalists to Michigan’s state librarian and superintendent of public instruction, who will decide the final candidate.
Find a list of upcoming poet laureate events at Michigan.gov/PoetLaureate.Send questions about the nomination and selection process to PoetLaureate@Michigan.gov
