South Dakota has a new advocate for poetry.
Governor Kristi Noem has appointed Christine Stewart as the new state poet laureate. Stewart begins her four-year term on July 1st, 2019.
The first state poet laureate was, famously, Badger Clark, whose poetry about where we live and how we live has become, for many, iconic representation of who we are (or at least who we once were).
You can still visit Badger Clark's cabin in Custer State Park and find inspiration among the same trails and trials as Badger Clark himself.
Today's world is broader than the world Clark inhabited. We know more of it. We see it in more vibrant color. Outgoing poet laureate Lee Ann Roripaugh has found inspiration across South Dakota and across the ocean. She joined In the Moment to read from her book "Tsunami vs. the Fukushima 50."
And here's Christine Stewart, incoming state poet laureate, reading from her book "Untrussed." This is "Wonder Woman Relaxes."
Christine Stewart says part of her upcoming work is to invite people to write poetry about South Dakota ... the poetry of us. You can joins the South Dakota State Poetry Society at sdpoetry.org to be part of this continuing unfolding.
You can hear the full In the Moment conversation with Lee Ann Roripaugh and Christine Stewart here.
