Culture Club: Celebrating National Poetry Month and Our Poets Laureate

by JEROD SANTEK

Founding and Artistic Director

Write On, Door County

In April of 1996, the Academy of American Poets launched National Poetry Month to celebrate poetry’s integral role in our culture. It has since become the largest literary celebration in the world, with tens of millions of people marking the important role poetry plays in our lives. Celebrations can take many forms with large poetry readings attracting hundreds of people or an individual simply reading a poem sent via email by the Academy. 

National Poetry Month is the perfect opportunity to highlight the Door County Poet Laureate program. Many states, cities, communities, even neighborhoods, have a Poet Laureate program, in addition to the United States Poet Laureate Program administered by the Library of Congress.

Door County’s Poet Laureate program began in 2010, and the first person to serve was Frances May, who served posthumously from October 2010 to March 2011. Following that appointment, all terms began April 1 of odd-numbered years. Subsequent Poets Laureate are Barbara Larsen (2011-2013), Estella Lauter (2013-2015), Ralph Murre (2015-2017), Sharon Auberle (2017-2019), Nancy Rafal (2019-2021), Mike Orlock (2021-2023), and our current Poets Laureate, Tom and Ethel Davis, whose term began April 2023 and will conclude March 31, 2025.

Credit for Door County’s Poet Laureate Program goes to Nancy Rafal, a Baileys Harbor resident, poet and artist who saw the impact such a program had in other communities and was determined to bring that experience to Door County. Nancy oversaw the program until 2014, when she asked Write On to take it on. 

Nominations for the post are solicited from the community and a committee makes a recommendation to the Door County Board of Supervisors. The committee generally consists of seven people including the current and past Poet Laureate, a Write On representative, a planner of literary events, a representative from the school or library system, and a member of the Door County board, as well as an at-large community member.

The purpose of the Poet Laureate appointment is to raise the county consciousness to a greater level of appreciation for the reading and writing of poetry, and to serve as a literary ambassador. Among the duties of the position are to encourage and support local poets; build a greater audience for poetry through readings and other events; utilize local media to promote poetry; and to work with local organizations on an as-requested and as-possible basis to bring poetry into various community settings.

To be eligible for consideration, a poet is expected to live and/or work in the county; have a knowledge of the local community and be actively involved; and be able and willing to serve a two-year term of office. Committee members review all nominated poets to ensure they meet these qualifications before making their recommendation to the Board of Supervisors. During the Board’s March meeting in an odd year, a resolution is passed appointing the next Poet Laureate, whose term begins April 1 of that year. Though appointed by the Board, the position receives no funding from the county. Since 2010, the position has relied solely on individual contributions. 

Door County’s Poets Laureate have conducted a number of projects as part of their appointment. There have been poetry workshops and presentations in the schools; poetry potlucks; and anthologies of poetry about Door County. Poets have given readings and presentations from Brussels to Washington Island during their tenure. 

At the end of this year, a new committee will be formed to recommend the next Poet Laureate. If you would like to nominate a poet or would like to serve on the committee, please contact me, Jerod Santek, at 920.868.1457 or by emailing [email protected]. 

Culture Club is contributed by members of the Peninsula Arts and Humanities Alliance, a coalition of nonprofit organizations whose purpose is to enhance, promote and advocate the arts, humanities and natural sciences in Door County. The member organizations are: Birch Creek Music Performance Center; Björklunden; The Clearing Folk School; Door Community Auditorium; Door Shakespeare; The Hardy Gallery; Midsummer’s Music; Miller Art Museum; Northern Sky Theater; Peninsula Music Festival; Peninsula Players Theatre; Peninsula School of Art; Third Avenue PlayWorks; Trueblood Performing Arts Center; and Write On, Door County.