State Poets Update: Florida, South Carolina, and Wyoming Welcome New Poets Laureate

It’s been only two months since my previous state poets update, but since then three states have appointed new laureates:

• Peter Meinke was appointed Florida’s Poet Laureate on June 15;
• Lee Ann Roripaugh was appointed South Dakota Poet Laureate on July 1; and
• A. Rose Hill was appointed Poet Laureate of Wyoming on July 9

In other news, a hearing on Bill H.2927 in the Massachusetts state legislature, which would create the position of Massachusetts Poet Laureate, is scheduled for September.  Massachusetts is one of only five states with no poet laureate or state writer position.

Finally, the Indiana Arts Commission is seeking nominations for the next Indiana Poet Laureate through Tuesday, September 1, 2015.

To find a complete list of U.S. state poets, and to learn more about each state’s laureateship, you can explore our state poets map. Click on the image of the map to be brought to an interactive version; you can use its drop-down menu to browse the list of current laureates.