Alice McDermott leads poet laureate search; deadline Dec. 1

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Poetry acknowledges our collective spirit, our common experience, while celebrating, too, the complexity of the human situation, and the value of each individual voice,” McDermott said. “Poetry reminds us that our language – so often abused and misused – is also a great gift that can inspire, sustain and unite.”

The Maryland General Assembly established the position of poet laureate in 1959 and authorized the governor to appoint a Maryland citizen to that position. The eight poets laureate who have served, in order, are: Maria B. Coker, Vincent Godfrey Burns, Lucille Clifton, Reed Whittemore, Linda Pastan, Roland Flint, Michael Collier and Glaser.

“In announcing McDermott’s selection, the governor said, “I want to thank our current poet laureate, Michael Glaser, who has inspired Marylanders young and old to enjoy poetry, for his service to our great state. Mr. Glaser is a very accomplished poet and has worked with hundreds of teachers and over 7,000 children across the state.”

“I have treasured the opportunity to travel the length and breadth of this state and share with so many of the good people of Maryland a sense of the great value that both reading and writing poetry can have on our spirits and our lives as citizens,” Glaser said. The St. Mary’s City resident has held the position since 2004 and is a professor at St. Mary’s College.