Poet Laureate

Arts

Missouri S&T launches literary speaker series with poet laureate

Jonathan Ahl

A school known best for engineering is taking on programs designed to inject more arts and humanities into the school, hoping a culture of creativity will benefit the entire university community.

Grace Ruo (at left) and Sarah Abbas see poetry as a powerful tool.

Arts

Youth Poets Laureate Of St. Louis Share Their Own Timely Pieces On Heels Of Inauguration

Evie Hemphill

Sarah Abbas and Grace Ruo, both 17, discussed Amanda Gorman's inaugural poem. They also shared their hopes for bringing written and spoken words to bear on society, and read poems of their own.

St. Louis Poet Laureate Michael Castro delivers a poem before the ceremonial swearing-in of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen in April 2015.

Arts

Gathering Will Remember Inaugural St. Louis Poet Laureate Michael Castro

Nancy Fowler

Friends, family and admirers will remember St. Louis poet Michael Castro during a memorial service Sunday at Central Reform Congregation, 5020 Waterman…

St. Louis Poet Laureate Michael Castro delivers a poem before the ceremonial swearing-in of the St. Louis Board of Aldermen in 2015.

Arts

St. Louis’ first poet laureate Michael Castro passes at age 73

Updated 3:00 p.m., Dec. 28, with "St. Louis on the Air" segment – When Michael Castro spoke in the City Hall Rotunda last month to pass the St. Louis poet…

Shirley Bradley LeFlore was installed as St. Louis City’s Poet Laureate in a special ceremony Friday, November 9 in the City Hall Rotunda. She will serve as Poet Laureate until April of 2019, when she is succeeded by Jane Ellen Ibur.

Arts

Performing artist, writer and educator Shirley LeFlore is new St. Louis Poet Laureate

There was more than a year of back-and-forth about who should succeed St. Louis’ inaugural Poet Laureate Michael Castro. But the moral of this story is…

Jane Ellen Ibur calls herself a cowgirl. Some of her poetry imagines history from the point of view of the women who were with figures like Tonto and Hopalong Cassidy. She said that women often changed their lives to fit into the roles of wife and mother.

Arts

After a nearly 2-year wait Jane Ellen Ibur is set to become St. Louis’ poet laureate

Nancy Fowler

Jane Ellen Ibur’s long wait to be designated as St. Louis’ official poet will soon be over. A task force first chose Ibur in December 2016 to replace…

Cheryl Walker, chairwoman of the poet laureate task force, is a St. Louis native. Her published work includes a poetry chapbook called Silence Isn’t Quiet.

Arts

St. Louis’ new poet laureate task force seeks nominations from the public

Nancy Fowler

After months of discord over who should be the next poet laureate for St. Louis, the city could select a new voice this fall.St. Louis has been without an…

File Photo. Alderman Terry Kennedy says the delay in naming a St. Louis poet laureate could stretch into next year.

Arts

St. Louis may not have a poet laureate until 2018

Nancy Fowler

When members of the Board of Aldermen created St. Louis' poet laureate position, they intended to promote unity. Indeed, inaugural official poet Michael…

File photo: St. Louis Board of Alderman President Lewis Reed said it would be unfair to appoint a poet laureate until the controversy is settle.d

Arts

Board of Aldermen President Lewis Reed says St. Louis should have a poet laureate this month

Nancy Fowler

The delay in naming a new St. Louis poet laureate may soon be over.in December, a poet laureate task force recommended local poet and educator Jane Ellen…

Poet Jane Ellen Ibur, seen here in a May 1, 2017 photo, has enjoyed a storied career. For nearly 20 years, she co-produced and co-hosted the local radio show "Poet for the Halibut."

Arts

St. Louis’ would-be poet laureate Jane Ellen Ibur is 'incredibly disappointed' in delay filling post

Nancy Fowler

St. Louis poet Jane Ellen Ibur is certainly a character. She's appeared before a class of children wearing a cape and carrying a magic wand. She sometimes…