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The California Arts Council announced Tuesday that the nomination and application process for the next California poet laureate is now open.
Poets may self-nominate or be nominated by experts in the field of literature. For detailed instructions on how to apply, visit capoetlaureate.org. The submission deadline is Jan. 28, 2022.
“The role of the California Poet Laureate is to spread the art of poetry across the state, to inspire an emerging generation of literary artists, and to educate all Californians about the many poets and authors who have influenced California creative literary expression,” said Anne Bown-Crawford, executive director of the California Arts Council.
“The poet laureate provides public readings in communities across California and helps to educate civic and state leaders about the value of poetry and creative expression for all,” added Bown-Crawford.
The official position of California Poet Laureate was established in 2001 by former Gov. Gray Davis and is in the following California Government Code: Title 2, Div. 1, Chapter 9.5.
The state’s most recent poet laureate was Dana Gioia, who was appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown. The poet laureate serves for a term of two years and may serve up to two terms.
The CAC manages the California poet laureate nomination process for the Office of Governor, in accordance with the law. The names of the top three nominees will be sent to the Governor’s office for consideration and screening.
Gov. Gavin Newsom will make the final selection and name the California poet laureate, who must be confirmed by the Senate.
After a call to the general public for nominations, applications will be reviewed and evaluated by a panel of knowledgeable and experienced California poets.
Nominees will be ranked according to the review criteria: recognition for excellence of their work; being known for a significant body of published work; having wide consideration as a poet of stature; and willingness to undertake a specific project that shall last through the term, agreed to by the California poet laureate and the Arts Council.
Questions about the nomination process and application information should be directed toThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Poets may self-nominate or be nominated by experts in the field of literature. For detailed instructions on how to apply, visit capoetlaureate.org. The submission deadline is Jan. 28, 2022.
“The role of the California Poet Laureate is to spread the art of poetry across the state, to inspire an emerging generation of literary artists, and to educate all Californians about the many poets and authors who have influenced California creative literary expression,” said Anne Bown-Crawford, executive director of the California Arts Council.
“The poet laureate provides public readings in communities across California and helps to educate civic and state leaders about the value of poetry and creative expression for all,” added Bown-Crawford.
The official position of California Poet Laureate was established in 2001 by former Gov. Gray Davis and is in the following California Government Code: Title 2, Div. 1, Chapter 9.5.
The state’s most recent poet laureate was Dana Gioia, who was appointed by Gov. Jerry Brown. The poet laureate serves for a term of two years and may serve up to two terms.
The CAC manages the California poet laureate nomination process for the Office of Governor, in accordance with the law. The names of the top three nominees will be sent to the Governor’s office for consideration and screening.
Gov. Gavin Newsom will make the final selection and name the California poet laureate, who must be confirmed by the Senate.
After a call to the general public for nominations, applications will be reviewed and evaluated by a panel of knowledgeable and experienced California poets.
Nominees will be ranked according to the review criteria: recognition for excellence of their work; being known for a significant body of published work; having wide consideration as a poet of stature; and willingness to undertake a specific project that shall last through the term, agreed to by the California poet laureate and the Arts Council.
Questions about the nomination process and application information should be directed to
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- Written by: California Arts Council
Nancy Keating has clearly recognized a fundamental human value of poetry, the capacity for art to help us cope with the memories of our guilt-inducing acts.
In her poem “The Snowy Egret” the confession of a man in a magazine killing a bird in his youth, serves as a source of empathic release for the poet from her own unspoken regret.
Forgetting, she says, is not realistic. This, as it happens, is a handy truth for poets whose currency is memory.
The Snowy Egret
By Nancy Keating
Give me another word for regret,
something more like forget
only better, more effective,
since in fact we really don’t forget
the bad things we did
or caused. I read in a letter
to The Sun Magazine where a man
will always remember the egret
lying, a silent heap of cirrus clouds,
at his 12-year-old feet. It was his first
and last time shooting a gun.
His confession stabbed me
into a memory of unremembered shame
and the ache in my stomach telling me
I had joined humanity.
American Life in Poetry does not accept unsolicited manuscripts. It is made possible by The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine. It is also supported by the Department of English at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Poem copyright ©2021 by Nancy Keating, “The Snowy Egret” from White Chick (Elixir Press, 2021.) Poem reprinted by permission of the author and the publisher. Introduction copyright ©2021 by The Poetry Foundation. The introduction’s author, Kwame Dawes, is George W. Holmes Professor of English and Glenna Luschei Editor of Prairie Schooner at the University of Nebraska.
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- Written by: Kwame Dawes
