2026 National Poetry Month, Day 03 Laureates
Original topic subject: 2026 National Poetry Month, Day 3
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1DebiCates
Apollo Dancing with the Muses engraving by Francesco Bartolozzi
NPM 2026, Day 3 Laureates
Recently, I discovered that there are more poet laureates in the history of the world than you could shake a walking stick at.
it goes back to the Greeks (if not all the way back to the caveman/cavewoman). "Laurel" and "Muse" come from the Greek. How serious were the Greeks about poetry? By my count at least three of the nine Greek muses were dedicated to it. The Ancient Greek's renowned love for poetry and for their poets continues on in our own esteemed connotation of "Poet Laureate."
In the United States, the Poet Laureate began with the 1937 appointment of Joseph Auslander as "Consultant in poetry" to the Library of Congress (now "Poet laureate consultant in poetry." Of the 51 individual laureates, many will be familiar to members of The Poetry Collective. See list at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Poet_Laureate.
States also have their own appointed Poet Laureate (even Texas has had one, since 1932). See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_poets_laureate. Your city might have one, too. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Municipal_poets_laureate_in_the_United_St....
By contrast, the United Kingdom has had only 21 Poet Laureates. But theirs goes back much, much further, to 1631 when each laureate served a lifetime, appointed by the English monarch. It is now a ten year appointment and the current poet, Yorkshire lad Simon Armitage is in his 7th year serving Britain. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poet_Laureate_of_the_United_Kingdom
Now here's some really exciting news. Australia is in the process of appointing their first Poet Laureate in October this year! The Guardian wrote an lively article about it and about Poet Laureate-ness in general. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/sep/21/australia-poet-laureate-albanese-g...
I picked up quite a few stray tidbits during this Rabbit Hole Adventure. So as not to let the best bits go to waste:
Did you know the papacy has also historically had Poet Laureates?
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_poet_laureate
In Scotland they have the tradition of a "Makar" which is somewhat equivalent to Poet Laureate.
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makar#Modern_usage
Since 2017, the U.S. now has a National Youth Poet Laureate.
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Youth_Poet_Laureate.
A couple of cities in California have designated a Drag Poet Laureate
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laureate#Drag_laureate
What do poets American Adrienne Rich and English Philip Larkin have in common? They turned down their country's Poet Laureateship. Rich did not want a government position in a government where so few hold true power. Larkin did not feel he could serve the public, being shy and feeling his creative years were over.
...I could go on. I'm telling ya, once you get looking, it's Poet Laureates all the way down.
Google "poet laureate" for your city, your state, your country. I'm dying to know. Who are your poet laureates? If you don't have one, by golly go ahead and appoint one here. We'll honor it.
As with every post of this month, you are welcomed to also comment with either a poem you've found or with a poem you've written that you think will go with this day's message.
NPM 2026, Day 3 Laureates
Recently, I discovered that there are more poet laureates in the history of the world than you could shake a walking stick at.
it goes back to the Greeks (if not all the way back to the caveman/cavewoman). "Laurel" and "Muse" come from the Greek. How serious were the Greeks about poetry? By my count at least three of the nine Greek muses were dedicated to it. The Ancient Greek's renowned love for poetry and for their poets continues on in our own esteemed connotation of "Poet Laureate."
In the United States, the Poet Laureate began with the 1937 appointment of Joseph Auslander as "Consultant in poetry" to the Library of Congress (now "Poet laureate consultant in poetry." Of the 51 individual laureates, many will be familiar to members of The Poetry Collective. See list at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Poet_Laureate.
States also have their own appointed Poet Laureate (even Texas has had one, since 1932). See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._state_poets_laureate. Your city might have one, too. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Municipal_poets_laureate_in_the_United_St....
By contrast, the United Kingdom has had only 21 Poet Laureates. But theirs goes back much, much further, to 1631 when each laureate served a lifetime, appointed by the English monarch. It is now a ten year appointment and the current poet, Yorkshire lad Simon Armitage is in his 7th year serving Britain. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poet_Laureate_of_the_United_Kingdom
Now here's some really exciting news. Australia is in the process of appointing their first Poet Laureate in October this year! The Guardian wrote an lively article about it and about Poet Laureate-ness in general. https://www.theguardian.com/books/2024/sep/21/australia-poet-laureate-albanese-g...
I picked up quite a few stray tidbits during this Rabbit Hole Adventure. So as not to let the best bits go to waste:
Did you know the papacy has also historically had Poet Laureates?
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_poet_laureate
In Scotland they have the tradition of a "Makar" which is somewhat equivalent to Poet Laureate.
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makar#Modern_usage
Since 2017, the U.S. now has a National Youth Poet Laureate.
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Youth_Poet_Laureate.
A couple of cities in California have designated a Drag Poet Laureate
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laureate#Drag_laureate
What do poets American Adrienne Rich and English Philip Larkin have in common? They turned down their country's Poet Laureateship. Rich did not want a government position in a government where so few hold true power. Larkin did not feel he could serve the public, being shy and feeling his creative years were over.
...I could go on. I'm telling ya, once you get looking, it's Poet Laureates all the way down.
Google "poet laureate" for your city, your state, your country. I'm dying to know. Who are your poet laureates? If you don't have one, by golly go ahead and appoint one here. We'll honor it.
As with every post of this month, you are welcomed to also comment with either a poem you've found or with a poem you've written that you think will go with this day's message.
2TonjaE
Up until now, Australia has never had a Poet Laureate. The inaugural will be announced in October this year! Bit exciting, no clue who they might choose but there is a committee currently assessing applications which closed last month.
I suspect John Kinsella may be a candidate. He has written a lot about the area in which I live - The Wheatbelt of Western Australia. Here is one of his haunting poems;
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/browse?volume=170&issue=2&am...
I suspect John Kinsella may be a candidate. He has written a lot about the area in which I live - The Wheatbelt of Western Australia. Here is one of his haunting poems;
THE DISAPPEARING
The fresh-water stream
kept that dam full
even during drought.
It hadn't gone dry
since it was made.
And at the peak
of the drought-the heat
as heavy as thunderheads-
he wandered down
along the line of withered
redgums onto the watershed
and into the greyish
cool waters. That he was
a farm boy and knew better,
that their backs were
turned just for a minute,
didn't make him reappear.
It was a gesture as complete
as the absence of rain.
It was a phenomenon
as strange as the heat-warped
fence posts that stood
at about his height and betrayed
a child's movements.
https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/browse?volume=170&issue=2&am...
3elenchus
Yup, Chicago has appointed one since 2023.
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/poet_laureate.html
https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/poet_laureate.html
4DebiCates
>2 TonjaE: I'm excited with you and Australia, Tonja. Now I'm even rooting for someone in October: Kinsella.
I now know of a total of four Australian poets, a tiny sampling. Interesting that they all (John Kinsella, A.B. "Banjo" Paterson, and Les Murray, and *you*) all have an innate narrative style in their poetry, uniquely Australian. Just as it should be, of course.
Thank you for sharing your countryman's poem with us and that haunting, Australian voice in it.
I now know of a total of four Australian poets, a tiny sampling. Interesting that they all (John Kinsella, A.B. "Banjo" Paterson, and Les Murray, and *you*) all have an innate narrative style in their poetry, uniquely Australian. Just as it should be, of course.
Thank you for sharing your countryman's poem with us and that haunting, Australian voice in it.
5DebiCates
>3 elenchus: Yay! I hope all these laureates around the world get some nice little annual stipend. It's tough being a poet. They almost all have to have "regular jobs" to live.
6DebiCates
(My first ekphrastic poem)
Double Frame
Ah, those were the days, when men wore suits
with silk pochettes and donned leather wrist watches.
They smoked a pipe, eyes set in a serious gaze,
sported highly groomed little mustaches.
In photographs back then nothing said "poet"
more than a fuzzy halo behind a receding hairllned head.
Long before that photo shoot, though,
this wise poet married a fellow poet.
It's right handy to have a talented Muse
who can also type your manuscript.
Ah, but time does march on, even men's fashions
to a small degree, eyes now can twinkle,
dress shirts can be bright colors. No need for a pochette
and no need or shame in donning an overdue haircut.
Still best, as "poet," to have that implied
halo behind one's sweet receding hairlined head.
Long before the photo shoot, again we see,
this wise poet married a fellow poet.
It's right handy to have an independent Muse
who can also drive you to the airport.
U.S. Poet Laureates Joseph Auslander (first) and Arthur Sze (current)
Double Frame
Ah, those were the days, when men wore suits
with silk pochettes and donned leather wrist watches.
They smoked a pipe, eyes set in a serious gaze,
sported highly groomed little mustaches.
In photographs back then nothing said "poet"
more than a fuzzy halo behind a receding hairllned head.
Long before that photo shoot, though,
this wise poet married a fellow poet.
It's right handy to have a talented Muse
who can also type your manuscript.
Ah, but time does march on, even men's fashions
to a small degree, eyes now can twinkle,
dress shirts can be bright colors. No need for a pochette
and no need or shame in donning an overdue haircut.
Still best, as "poet," to have that implied
halo behind one's sweet receding hairlined head.
Long before the photo shoot, again we see,
this wise poet married a fellow poet.
It's right handy to have an independent Muse
who can also drive you to the airport.
U.S. Poet Laureates Joseph Auslander (first) and Arthur Sze (current)
7elenchus
>6 DebiCates: So good!
8TonjaE
>6 DebiCates: Yay! Well done.
A dozen or so women have held the position in the U.S.; I wonder how many of them had poetically talented partners to drive them to the airport...
You have a lovely poetic voice, I like it.
A dozen or so women have held the position in the U.S.; I wonder how many of them had poetically talented partners to drive them to the airport...
You have a lovely poetic voice, I like it.
