Governor Tina Kotek has named Ellen Waterston of Bend as Oregon’s new Poet Laureate.
Waterston founded the Writing Ranch and the Waterston Desert Writing Prize. She has published four poetry collections and her poems have appeared in journals, anthologies and the Writer’s Almanac.
Waterston will be Oregon’s 11th Poet Laureate and succeeds Anis Mojgani, who has held the post since 2020.
Much of Waterston’s award-winning poetry and prose is inspired by the remote reaches of southeastern Oregon’s Outback.
Waterston assumes the Poet Laureate role immediately. It’s a two-year appointment.
Her poetry awards include the WILLA Award for two of her collections and the Obsidian Prize for Poetry. Waterston is currently completing a fifth collection featuring a series of commissioned poems celebrating remote locations across the West.
To learn more about the Oregon Poet Laureate program visit the Poet Laureate website.
