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.
POET LAUREATE 2023-2027
Bruce Roseland is a fourth-generation cattleman, a prairie poet whose poems reveal sacred relationships between the land and its stewards. His books of western poetry have won four national awards. Roseland received an M.A. Sociology from the University of North Dakota, 1980. He served for a number of years as past president of the South Dakota State Poetry Society. To have Roseland read for your class, group or event, go to SDHumanities.org/speakers-bureau.
Past Poet Laureates
Christine Stewart-Nuñez (2020-2021)
Lee Ann Roripaugh (2015-2019)
David Allen Evans (2001-2015)
Archived Information
Audrae Visser (1974-2001)
Archived Information
Mabel Frederick (July-October 1973)
More information can be found at the South Dakota State Historical Society
Adeline Jenny (1958-1973)
More information can be found at the South Dakota State Historical Society
Badger Clark (1937-1957)
Archived Information