South Dakota Poet Laureate

The state Poet Laureate celebrates and promotes poetry reading and writing across South Dakota by initiating programs, projects, and activities that help accomplish these goals.

Poet Laureate candidates are self-nominated for this unpaid, honorary position and serve a four-year term. The Poetry Society Board selects a nominee from among these candidates to recommend to the governor’s office, who makes the appointment.

Watch this page for information about the next application period for Poet Laureate.

Bruce Roseland

2023 - 2027

Bruce Roseland is a rancher/poet from Seneca, South Dakota. He is the author of seven books and has won the Will Rogers Medallion Award in poetry three times. He received a master’s degree in sociology from the University of North Dakota and a bachelor’s degree in sociology, also from the University of North Dakota.

Roseland was a board member of the SDSPS for 14 years and President of the Society for eight years before he resigned to apply for the position of Poet Laureate.

Past Poet Laureates