On January 23, 2023, Dr. Jenna Goldsmith, former Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies assistant director and alum was crowned the new Poet Laureate of Rockford.
“It’s such an honor,” Goldsmith said. “It feels so wonderful to be able to do what I love here and be an ambassador for poetry in this community.”
Goldsmith won the Baltic Writing Residency Chapbook contest last year, and she has had her work featured in the Tilde literary journal and Belt Magazine. She read a piece from her latest book, Suppose the room just got brighter, before the City Council that night.
“Poetry is for everybody. I’m really excited to show people that and give them an opportunity to meet poetry in a different way,” she said in a short interview after the ceremony.
Goldsmith says poetry doesn’t have to rhyme or follow any preconceived guidelines. It can be found anywhere, and she’s prepared to show the community just that.
“I’m interested in spaces where we don’t typically encounter poetry, but that poetry can help us feel more comfortable or feel more at ease,” she said. “Be on the lookout for poetry in new places, unexpected places.”
The poet laureate serves in the role for two years. They’re tasked with promoting literacy and literature among residents of all ages.
