attention Seattle poets
February 13, 2019
The City of Seattle has opened applications for the city’s 2019-2021 Civic Poet. That person will follow multi-genre writer, interdisciplinary artist, and creative writing and poetry workshop facilitator, Anastacia-Renee, who has held the position since 2017, and Claudia Castro Luna, who served as the first Civic Poet, 2015-2017, and is currently the Washington State Poet Laureate and a Distinguished Writer In Residence at Seattle University.
The position is open to Seattle-based poets who have an established body of work, including published works, reading/spoken word, and project planning experience with skills in racial equity practices.
Find further details from the Office of Arts & Culture and apply on CaFÉ (login required) by the deadline, Wednesday, April 24, 2019; 10:59pm Pacific.
planning ahead
January 28, 2019
September 27-29, 2019, may seem a long way off, but it’s not too early to register (and reserve accommodations) for LiTFUSE. Once again, Mighty Tieton, Washington, will host the weekend-long poets’ workshop, which combines writing, exploration, improvisation, meditation, camaraderie, natural beauty, and readings to ignite your muse.
Have a look at the 2019 faculty, review your registration options, and sign up!
Attention Tacoma poets!
January 10, 2019
Do you have creative ideas, great people skills, plenty of energy, and a commitment to enlivening the poetry community? The City of Tacoma, Washington, is looking for a Poet Laureate for 2019-2021. Learn something about outgoing PL Kellie Richardson and see the guidelines and application online.
Poet Laureate in Bellingham
November 26, 2018
Washington’s Poet Laureate, Claudia Castro Luna, will visit Western Washington University for a reading of her poetry on Monday, December 3, 2018, at 4:00pm, in Academic West 210. Sponsored by Western’s English Department, the reading is free and open to the public. Additional details here.
take five
October 5, 2018
Got five minutes? Poet laureate Tracy K. Smith will fill your ears with poetry for five minutes, five days a week, starting in November when “The Slowdown” goes live.
The free podcast, produced by American Public Media in partnership with the Library of Congress and the Poetry Foundation, will present Smith reading works by a wide array of poets from around the world.
Read more about the program, listen to a preview, or sign up now.
laureate lore
June 30, 2018
If you visit the Washington Poet Laureate website, you’ll find a profile of the current PL, Claudia Castro Luna, and a list of the state’s previous poets laureate: Samuel Green (2007 – 2009), Kathleen Flenniken (2012 – 2014), Elizabeth Austen (2014 – 2016), and Tod Marshall (2016-2018).
Western Washington University professor Laura Laffrado is, pretty much single-handedly, working to correct a very significant omission from that list: Washington’s first poet laureate, Ella Rhoads Higginson.
An article by Ron Judd in the Sunday, June 24, 2018, PacificNW magazine section of The Seattle Times details Laffrado’s monumental task and the passion she shares with her WWU students. If you missed it in print, you can still read it online.
Oregon Poet Laureate
May 20, 2018
Congratulations to Kim Stafford, who has been appointed as Oregon’s ninth poet laureate. Read all about it.
