Sonoma County’s current poet laureate, Dave Seter, is nearing the end of his two-year term. So the selection process for the 14th Sonoma County poet laureate has begun, with the chosen poet to be announced on June 4.

What exactly is a poet laureate?

“The poet laureate is a literary ambassador, not just for poetry, but for any exciting places where literature lives and breathes in this county.” said Sonoma County Poet Laureate emeritus Terry Ehret.

“You have to be a people person,” emeritus Gwynn O’Gara said, “You have to enjoy people and enjoy encouraging people.”

The poet laureate program

Poet Laureate emeriti Ehret, Seter, O’Gara, Elizabeth Herron, and Sebastopol Arts Center representative Luna Sorrenti, along with a representative from each of the five Sonoma County supervisory districts and a representative from Sonoma State University and Santa Rosa Junior College, serve as the Poet Laureate Selection Committee at the Sebastopol Center for the Arts.

“It’s great to have a host organization like the Sebastopol Center for the Arts.” Seter notes.

While it might seem odd that the poet laureate is selected at one of the smaller towns in the county, it was the Sebastopol Center for the Arts that stepped up when the program was in its infancy, looking for a place to establish itself, and it has remained part of the Sebastopol Arts literary program ever since.

The poet laureate is awarded a handmade wreath. The program retains its emphasis on community to such a degree that the wreath itself is actually made by Ehret’s daughter.

“The wreaths are made of California bay laurel,” Sorrenti said.

“They are beautiful, but they would probably be better in soup.” O’Gara joked, to the amusement of the others, before quickly clarifying that it is honestly an honor to be chosen.

All of this begs the question: How is a poet laureate chosen? The first step is that someone has to nominate you.

“It is a very important role, and being thrown in without having been part of the community is like being thrown in without being able to swim,” says Seter in response to why nominations are required. “If someone nominates you, then we know that you are connected with the community in some way.”

“But we only need one nomination per person,” O’Gara said, “You can have everyone you know sign the nomination if you want, but please only send one.”

Poet laureate criteria PER the Sebastopol Center for the Arts:

Resident of Sonoma County

Poetry manifests a high degree of excellence

Has produced a critically acclaimed body of work

Has demonstrated a commitment to the literary arts in Sonoma County

Will propose and perform a project of their own creation with the support of Sebastopol Center for the Arts and the Poet Laureate Selection Committee

Agrees to participate in official ceremonies and poetry readings

Some of the criteria seem fairly straightforward, while others are definitely open to interpretation, so the committee took some time to clarify them.

This goes back to the thought that if you’re being nominated, you are already a part of the community. There are no residency time restrictions. If you live within the borders of Sonoma County, you qualify.

“It’s hard,” said O’Gara. “When some form of judging and critique is involved because everyone has their own aesthetics and within it there is always a conscious or unconscious criteria. That criterion should always be questioned. Mike Tuggle (Poet Laureate 2008-2010) used to say that poetry had to sing.”

“He was speaking of the music that is integral to the language,” said Ehret. The music is there whether it’s written or presented.”

“I’ve been attending the Poetry Slams at Brew recently,” Seter added as he explained that in the past, one of the benchmarks for “excellence” was publishing, “but that’s really a third-party benchmark of excellence. In spoken word, it’s different. The question becomes, are they out there delivering their work?”

“Critically acclaimed usually means awards, usually by literary juries,” said Ehret. “But it could also mean reviews. Acclaimed is a tall order.”

“Publishing can help,” said O’Gara. “But not always.”

Seter said that if you are doing a non-traditional form of poetry, publishing might not be part of the culture and thus not a benchmark for acclaim: “like slam, if someone wins numerous slams, they are acclaimed, but might not be published.”

A commitment to the arts in County

“People might really impress with the quality of their work and with their project proposal, but if they are not engaged in the community, that is something that is worth doing,” said Ehret.

She added that being engaged in the community will make someone a stronger candidate than someone who isn’t.

Seter said that it’s important that the poet laureate is available to all parts of the county. They have to be open to serving the entire county by being adaptable and flexible. That’s easier when you are part of the community.

Will propose and perform a project of their own creation

One of the lesser-known qualifications by the general public might be that the poet laureate is not just an honorary title. As part of their mission to be an ambassador for literature, they must propose a project that in some way speaks to that mission.

An example of this is the “Our California” project by the current California poet laureate, Lee Herrick. Herrick invited all Californians to write a poem about their city or town. The poems were then collected and can now be viewed by county on the California Poet Laureate website (https://capoetlaureate.org/ourcalifornia).

Closer to home, each of the poet laureate emeriti had projects that, while fulfilling the requirement to serve as ambassadors for poetry, were also unique to each poet and the type of writing they do.

Current laureate Seter’s project explores how the history of our county can be found and told through poetry. The project, called My Sonoma County, involved lesson plans and poetry workshops throughout the county.

Past laureate projects have included Elizabeth Heron’s Courage Workshops, in which she helped people, through poetry, explore where they needed more courage in their lives. After the fires, the next two poet laureates (Iris Jamahl Dunkle and Maya Khosla) worked on fire regeneration.

“Iris spent a lot of time going to Santa Rosa and holding ad hoc poetry workshops for kids that had been evacuated,” said Ehret.

Ehret’s project is one of the most well-known in the Sonoma County literary community. She founded the Sonoma County Literary Update. It is a website that posts literary events, helps Sonoma County authors interact, posts submission calls, and hosts the current poet laureate and other prominent voices as columnists.

“The projects are always a cause that they are passionate about and help Sonoma County at the same time,” Sorrenti said.

Agrees to participate in ceremonies and poetry readings

This is one of the more self-evident qualifications, but it is not to be dismissed lightly. As the selection committee actively seeks more diverse poets, they acknowledge that this particular qualification can make it more difficult for artists with young children or those who work full-time jobs. The countywide nature of the readings can also make it more difficult for some people. However, none of those things should stop someone from applying.

“It can be challenging if you have mobility issues,” said Ehret. “But don’t let that be an obstacle; we can figure something out.”

In fact, all the members of the selection committee have a deep interest in helping as many people as possible find their way to poetry.

“The selection committee is diverse. No matter who the laureate is. We want a diverse perspective.” said O’Gara.

To that end, the committee has altered the application this year to include a Spanish language version. They are also actively getting the word out at more non-traditional poetry events, such as slams.

They are also looking for another committee member, specifically, a Spanish-speaking bilingual individual who lives in the District 4 region. District 4 is the northeast portion of the county that ranges from Larkfield in the south to Cloverdale in the north. (Interested parties should contact Sorrenti at info@sebarts.org with a statement of interest and a resume.)

While joining the selection committee is a guaranteed way to become part of the community, there are certainly other ways to do so. The Sebastopol Center for the Arts has a full literary program that brings people together. There’s also SoCo Literary Update, where people can find events to attend or an open mic or writing group to participate in.

Lastly, while qualifications are important, poetry is what matters most. The committee looks at the writing first, then the other qualifications. The laureate is chosen by the full committee, so no one person has more sway than others.

“I’ve nominated a candidate three times now,” said Ehret. “But the committee chose someone else to fill the role each time.”

Also, there is no restriction on what type of poetry a poet writes. Ehret considers herself an improvisational poet. “I try not to have too much of a plan or agenda, I write what’s at hand.”

Seter is considered an eco-poet, but has currently started to veer into documentary poetry.

O’Gara is a nature poet, “I’m currently obsessed with stars, medicinal plants, and prehistory,” she said before admitting to struggling to work within that while also reacting to the current political and cultural challenges. “What’s important is inclusivity, engagement with poetry, and a public love of sharing poetry.”

If there is one thing the committee laments, it is that not enough people know about the opportunities available, the process of becoming the laureate, or how to connect with the community.

“Did you know we have a youth poet laureate?” said Seter. “It’s run through the California Poets in the Schools.”

California Poets in the Schools is a program that brings poetry curriculum into the classroom and helps support youth poet laureate programs in five counties. The most recent youth poet laureate was Liza Zheng from Maria Carrillo High School in Santa Rosa.

“The Sebastopol library had a really fun teen program for kids who want to get involved in the literary community,” said Sorrenti.

Despite the efforts of groups like California Poets in the Schools, the Sebastopol Center for the Arts, and the Sonoma County Library, it can seem hard to find a place within the community that feels comfortable for every poet.

“I know that there is a lot of poetry happening that we don’t hear about.” said Ehret. “Please, if people have events, submit to the update so we can help you get the word out.”

“We are open to all the ideas that expand our universe,” said Seter. “And I look forward to a future that those ideas expand into.”

Like so many things, what’s important is community, and the more diverse and inclusive that community gets, especially when they are involved with the poet laureateship, the better Sonoma County’s literary scene is going to be for everyone.

The committee is reviewing nominees and selecting finalists. The new Sonoma County Poet Laureate will be announced on June 4, with a reception held on July 12. For more information, visit https://www.sebarts.org/literary-arts/