Upper Peninsula County Poet Laureates Named for 2024 – 2026

Around the Upper Peninsula, many writers have chosen poetry as their primary literary art form. In the past, the region has had poet laureates named to represent the literary prowess of the Upper Peninsula, with many coming out of the Marquette area. In recent years poet laureate organizations have begun to expand beyond the central region of the peninsula and have officially launched the Upper Peninsula County Poet Laureates named for the first time in 2024. Poet Laureates represent their works, while also promoting poetry and literary growth in their communities. These representatives can choose to set up a literary workshop, poetry readings, or work with local schools to inspire students and creative writing. In addition to the Poet Laureate positions the Upper Peninsula County Poet Laureate program has launched a youth-focused title, that has named three youth poet laureates in Delta, Iron, and Luce counties. Poet laureate terms will last for three years until 2026. As a part of the United States Poet Laureate positions, the hope is UP county Poet Laureates may even earn funding for the development of written works, or community programs. In the Western Upper Peninsula, there are two named poet laureates representing Ontonagon and Keweenaw counties, Marlene Boremer and Barbara Simila respectively. FInd a full list of poet laureates below.

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For the first time, Upper Peninsula County Poet Laureate and Upper Peninsula County Youth Poet Laureate positions have been established in the majority of the counties in the Upper Peninsula.  Recipients were selected based off of input from Escanaba Area Public Schools, Forsyth Township Public Library, Forest Park Schools, Grandpa’s Barn, Island Bookstore, Kenneth J. Shouldice Library, Ontonagon Township Library, Superior Central School District, Tahquamenon Area School-Public Library, and Amanda Wais.

Upon acceptance from the selected poets for their positions, they will hold the status of County Poet Laureate or County Youth Poet Laureate from January 2024 to December 2026, for three-year terms.  In 2026, the chosen Poet Laureate recipients will play critical roles in the establishment of continued three-year terms for their counties.  As with the United States Poet Laureate positions, the hope is that U.P. County Poet Laureate recipients will head community-focused events that will help to encourage poetry in their region, as well as allow this opportunity for the county to pay homage to the poets’ voices and talents.

Recipients of three-year term U.P. County Poet Laureate and U.P. County Youth Poet Laureate positions include:

Upper Peninsula Youth Poet Laureate of Alger County 2024-2026, Demitrius Davis

U.P. Poet Laureate of Chippewa County 2024-2026, Tyler Dettloff

U.P. Youth Poet Laureate of Delta County 2024-2026, Asher Meunier-Irving

U.P. Youth Poet Laureate of Iron County 2024-2026, Christopher Johnson

U.P. Poet Laureate of Keweenaw County 2024-2026, Barbara Simila

U.P. Poet Laureate of Luce County 2024-2026, Peter Wurdock

U.P. Youth Poet Laureate of Luce County 2024-2026, Sailor Raymond

U.P. Poet Laureate of Mackinac County 2024-2026, Jamie Andress

U.P. Poet Laureate of Marquette County 2024-2026, Josh Brindle

U.P. Poet Laureate of Ontonagon County 2024-2026, Marlene Broemer

Celebratory events will be taking place in April and May of this year for public readings with the Poet Laureate recipients, many of which will be at the venues that took part in the selection process.  The chosen poets are some of the strongest writers in the Upper Peninsula and will serve as leading voices for the poetry of their regions.

To celebrate all of the peninsula’s literary talents, the hope is to have every U.P. county participating by year’s end.