Arizona

State Poet Laureate

In 2012, as part of its centennial year of statehood, Arizona established a state poet laureate position. Alberto Ríos was appointed the inaugural state poet laureate in 2013. He is currently a Chancellor of the Academy of American Poets.

City and County Poets Laureate

Phoenix

In 2016, Rosemarie Dombrowski was named the poet laureate of Phoenix, Arizona. She was reappointed by Mayor Williams in 2018. Her term will expire at the end of 2020.

Scottsdale

In 2021, Lois Roma-Deeley was named the poet laureate of Scottsdale, Arizona. She will serve until December 24, 2024.

Tucson

In 2017, TC Tolbert was named the poet laureate of Tucson, Arizona. S/he will serve a two-year term.

Type	Title	State
Literary Organization	Arizona Commission on the Arts	Arizona

Day of the Refugios

      In Mexico and Latin America, celebrating one’s
      Saint’s day instead of one’s birthday is common.


I was born in Nogales, Arizona,
On the border between 
Mexico and the United States.

The places in between places
They are like little countries
Themselves, with their own holidays

Taken a little from everywhere.
My Fourth of July is from childhood,
Childhood itself a kind of country, too.

It’s a place that’s far from me now,
A place I'd like to visit again.
The Fourth of July takes me there.

In that childhood place and border place
The Fourth of July, like everything

Alberto Ríos

1994

Difficult Body

A story: There was a cow in the road, struck by a semi--
half-moon of carcass and jutting legs, eyes
already milky with dust and snow, rolled upward

as if tired of this world tilted on its side.
We drove through the pink light of the police cruiser,
her broken flank blowing steam in the air. 

Minutes later, a deer sprang onto the road
and we hit her, crushed her pelvis--the drama reversed,
first consequence, then action--but the doe,

not dead, pulled herself with front legs
into the ditch.

Mark Wunderlich

1999

Sunrise, Grand Canyon

We stand on the edge, the fall
into depth, the ascent

of light revelatory, the canyon walls moving
up out of

shadow, lit
colours of the layers cutting

down through darkness, sunrise as it
passes a

John Barton

2001

Poetry Near You

Arizona

Recent & Featured Listings

Richard Shelton

Alberto Ríos

N. Scott Momaday

Day of the Refugios

Difficult Body

Sunrise, Grand Canyon

Poetry Near You

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Arizona

Recent & Featured Listings

Richard Shelton

Alberto Ríos

N. Scott Momaday

Related Poems

Day of the Refugios

Difficult Body

Sunrise, Grand Canyon

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