Gov. Gregoire names first state poet laureate

For Immediate Release: December 17, 2007

OLYMPIA � Gov. Chris Gregoire today announced that she has named Samuel Green as the Washington State Poet Laureate, a position established by the Legislature this year to build awareness and appreciation of poetry across the state.

�I am pleased to name Samuel Green as Washington�s first State Poet Laureate,� said Gov. Gregoire. �Not only will he encourage people across our state to learn about and appreciate poetry, his appointment to this position will honor the important role that poetry and poets have played in Washington�s creative culture.�

Green is a native of Washington and resides on remote Waldron Island. A distinguished poet and author of ten poetry collections, including his soon to be released book, The Grace of Necessity (Carnegie Mellon University Press, 2008), his work has appeared in numerous publications. For more than thirty years, he has served as editor of a small press focusing on the work of Washington poets. Green has served as a visiting poet in a wide range of settings, including universities, public schools, libraries, mental health centers, correctional facilities and poetry festivals. He has been visiting poet and poetry teacher at Seattle University for several years and is been active with the Skagit River Poetry Festivals.

The culmination of a multi-year effort, the establishment of a Washington State Poet Laureate was lead by Rep. Mary Skinner and Rep. Lynn Kessler and supported by a partnership of the Washington State Arts Commission, Humanities Washington and the Washington Poet's Association. The Poet Laureate bill was passed by the Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Gregoire in April 2007.

�He is a wonderful poet,� said Kris Tucker, Executive Director of the Washington State Arts Commission. �Sam�s passion for poetry is contagious and he will share his enthusiasm with people across the state.�

The State Poet Laureate will serve a two-year term and build awareness and appreciation of poetry through public readings, workshops, lectures, and presentations in communities, schools, colleges, universities and other public settings in geographically diverse areas of the state.

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