Minnesota to get state poet laureate

State lawmakers passed a measure this year, as part of a broad state government bill, to establish the unpaid position. The law that took effect this week directs the Minnesota Humanities Center to solicit nominations and then make a recommendation to the governor.

Stanley Romanstein, the president and CEO of the humanities center, says the poet laureate will share is or her own poetry, while promoting the work of other poets.

"We're looking for someone who's going to be willing to travel throughout the state, to talk with people in libraries and community centers about poetry, and what it is and how it can go toward improving people's lives and helping them to understand who they are in the world around them," says Romanstein.

Romanstein says the state has a large pool of talent to pick from.

"Since the Legislature adjourned, and word began to sift out that indeed Minnesota was going to name a poet laureate, I've been practically deluged with nominations and people saying, 'I have someone I want to recommend who is wonderful, and who will represent the state incredibly well,'" says Romanstein.

Romanstein says a selection committee is being formed now and will put out a call for nominations in September. Gov. Pawlenty will select a poet laureate from a list of three finalists in January 2008.

An attempt in 2005 to create the state poet laureate position failed, when Gov. Pawlenty vetoed the bill.