
Massachusetts Searching for the State’s First-Ever Poet Laureate
Executive orders appear to be all the rage these days. Like Joe Biden before him, President Donald Trump has become an executive order "mo-sheen" – cranking them out left and right.
Former Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker signed a few executive orders, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To prove she is no slouch, incumbent Governor Maura Healey has affixed her name to an EO or two, most notably proclaiming a state of emergency over the "migrant crisis."
Now Gov. Healey is back with a new executive order establishing Massachusetts' first-ever poet laureate.

A press release from Healey's office says, "This new, honorary position is intended to promote poetry and creative expression across the state, serve as the Governor and Lt. Governor's ambassador of the arts, and inspire the next generation of writers."
The release states, "Massachusetts has a rich legacy of pioneering poets," from Phylis Wheatley Peters to Robert Frost to Emily Dickinson, to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow."
Healey says, "Our administration is committed to honoring this legacy by celebrating the many contributions of poets to our state, including their ability to inspire future generations."
The poet laureate would be responsible for "encouraging the appreciation of poetry and creative expression across Massachusetts, organizing and attending public readings and other statewide literary and cultural events in different regions, composing poetry for ceremonial occasions, and advising the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education on an outreach program for schools focused on the celebration and advancement of poetry."
The EO established a Poet Laureate Nominating Committee.
"The selected candidate will be eligible for a stipend provided by the Mass Cultural Council," according to the release.
Details on how to apply or to nominate someone will be forthcoming in the spring.
Top 10 School Lunches We Ate As Kids Ranked Best to Worst
Gallery Credit: Gazelle
LOOK: 79 of the Most 1970s Photos You've Ever Seen
Gallery Credit: Stephen Lenz
More From WBSM-AM/AM 1420








