Kentucky

State Poet Laureate

In 1926, Kentucky established a state poet laureate position, which is currently held by Silas House, who was appointed to a one-year term in 2023.

Type	Title	State
Literary Organization	The Carnegie Center	Kentucky
Poetry-Friendly Bookstore	Poor Richard's Bookstore	Kentucky
Literary Organization	Kentucky Council of Teachers of English/Language Arts	Kentucky
Poetry-Friendly Bookstore	Robie Books	Kentucky
Literary Organization	The Kentucky State Poetry Society	Kentucky
Landmark	Robert Penn Warren Birthplace Museum	Kentucky
Literary Organization	Green River Writers	Kentucky
Literary Organization	Kentucky Shakespeare	Kentucky
Literary Magazine	Appalachian Heritage	Kentucky
Small Press	Blair Mountain Press	Kentucky

One woman drives across five states just to see her. The woman being driven to has no idea anyone's headed her way. The driving woman crosses three bridges & seven lakes just to get to her door. She stops along the highway, wades into the soggy ground, cuts down coral-eyed cattails, carries them to her car as if they might be sherbet orange, long-stemmed, Confederate roses, sheared for Sherman himself. For two days she drives toward the woman in Kentucky, sleeping in rest areas with her seat lowered all the way back, doors locked. When she reaches the state line it's misting.

Nikky Finney

2011

—For Mammoth Cave National Park

Humongous cavern, tell me, wet limestone, sandstone caprock,
bat-wing, sightless translucent cave shrimp,

this endless plummet into more of the unknown,
how one keeps secrets for so long.

Ada Limón

2016

[ A ]

Long ago, in Kentucky, I, a boy, stood
By a dirt road, in first dark, and heard
The great geese hoot northward.

I could not see them, there being no moon
And the stars sparse. I heard them.

I did not know what was happening in my heart.

Robert Penn Warren

1985

Poetry Near You

Kentucky

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Davis McCombs

Constance Merritt

bell hooks

Poetry Near You

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Kentucky

Recent & Featured Listings

Davis McCombs

Constance Merritt

bell hooks

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