Julia Bouwsma wasn’t actually planning to apply in 2020 to be the state’s poet laureate. She was 41 at the time, and she thought of this role as one for a more experienced writer. When others encouraged her to submit her name for consideration, she didn’t have any expectations.

“I thought, ‘This will be fun. It’ll be great practice for 20 years from now when it is the right time,'” Bouwsma said with a laugh.

But Gov. Janet Mills appointed Bouwsma to the position in 2021. Her five-year term officially runs until the end of June, and applications are now open for her successor.

“There are poets all over the state doing all kinds of different and really important work in their communities and on the page,” Bouwsma said. “The diversity of voices that we have in this state is a huge strength. I hope that people apply even if they haven’t seen someone like them represented in this role before. That’s incredibly important to the growth of the position.”

This title isn’t just an honorary one.

The laureate is an ambassador of sorts, traveling across the state to foster appreciation for poetry. Bouwsma, who lives in New Portland and works as a library director in Kingfield, said she set a personal goal to visit all 16 counties in five years. She only has one left — Washington County — and intends to get there before the end of her tenure.

“I really wanted to think about poetry as something connective across our whole state and to take an approach where we use poetry to have difficult conversations with each other,” she said.

Candidates must be full-time Maine residents with “a distinguished body of poetic work.” The application must include eight to 10 pages of poetry, as well as a one-page statement outlining a vision for the role.

The poet laureate often champions a project during their time in the position. Stuart Kestenbaum, who preceded Bouwsma, started “Poems from Here,” an ongoing series of weekly radio broadcasts of work by Maine poets.

Bouwsma launched “Write Me,” an epistolary poetry project. More than 300 people became “poetry pen pals,” exchanging letter poems across the state. Bouwsma said the idea came in part from the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, when letters from poet friends helped her cope with isolation.

“What we know and believe at the Maine Arts Commission is that creativity builds connection, ” Executive Director Amy Hausmann said. “To be able to be seen, to be able to be heard, to be able to share is one of the ways that people feel better about themselves and their place in the world. Poetry can do that. Julia’s project, the ‘Write Me’ program, really exemplified that.”

Khristina Kurasz, program director for the Maine Arts Commission, said the poet laureate is also involved in Poetry Out Loud, a national contest for high schoolers to study and recite poetry.

“It’s a chance for people to meet an active, working poet,” Kurasz said. “You’ve got all these students reciting poets, but to have your Maine state poet there is special, and it’s an opportunity for them to connect with somebody that’s actually doing it.”

Most states have a poet laureate, and Maine has appointed one since 1995. Bouwsma is the sixth. The position was previously unpaid, although the state reimbursed mileage costs. Now, the poet laureate will receive a stipend of $5,000 per year for five years from the Maine Arts Commission, and that honorarium is provided in lieu of a mileage reimbursement. The state also added more duties, including an annual lecture and participation in the Poetry Out Loud project.

The Maine Arts Commission is funded by both the state and federal government, but money for this position comes from the state allocation for the agency.

The Maine Arts Commission and the Maine Writers and Publishers Alliance provide administrative support for the position. Applications are open until Dec. 5. A committee will review the submissions and make a recommendation to the governor, who makes the appointment.

Visit mainearts.maine.gov for more information on how to apply.

MAINE’S POETS LAUREATE

Kate Barnes (1996 – 1999)  
Baron Wormser (2000 – 2005)  
Betsy Sholl (2006 – 2011)  
Wesley McNair (2011 – 2016)  
Stuart Kestenbaum (2016 – 2021) 
Julia Bouwsma (2021 – 2026)