Potter appointed as Maine’s next Poet Laureate

AUGUSTA — Gov. Janet T. Mills and the Maine Arts Commission announced poet and educator Dawn Potter as Maine’s next Poet Laureate, recognizing her distinguished body of work and her longstanding commitment to advancing poetry and literary engagement across the state.

Potter was selected from a slate of candidates who submitted applications. Following a thorough review process, finalists were recommended to the governor by the Maine Arts Commission through an advisory selection committee. Potter will serve a five-year term as Poet Laureate from July through June 2031.

Potter has been the writing instructor for Monson Arts’ high school program since its first days and worked with the schools in the region long before Monson Arts was established.

Established in 1995, the Maine State Poet Laureate is an honorary position created to promote appreciation of poetry statewide, recognize an accomplished Maine poet and encourage public engagement through readings, educational programs and community partnerships. The Poet Laureate participates in initiatives such as Poetry Out Loud and collaborates with organizations and communities across Maine to foster deeper connections to poetry and the written word.

“I am pleased to announce Dawn Potter as Maine’s Poet Laureate, and I congratulate her on this special honor,” Mills said. “As someone whose mother taught English in the public schools, I learned early in life that poetry can create connections with people, ideas and cultures different from our own and help us understand our world and the people in it. Maine has long inspired and attracted poets who have enriched our lives and made our state what it is today. As an accomplished poet and educator, Dawn Potter is well-prepared to connect Maine people of all ages with this timeless art form.”

Potter will succeed Julia Bouwsma, who has served as Maine’s Poet Laureate since 2021.

“Serving as Poet Laureate has been a tremendous honor,” Bouwsma said. “Traveling across Maine to visit schools and libraries, support community poetry projects and connect with poets and readers has reminded me that poetry is deeply communal work. I’m grateful to everyone who shared their stories and love of poetry with me along the way. Maine is an extraordinary place to be a poet.”

“I’m deeply grateful to be standing alongside the poets who have held this position before me,” Potter said. “All six of my predecessors have been a part of my education in poetry. All have shown me what it means to be an ambassador for the art, and I hope I can carry their example forward.”

As of 2024, the Poet Laureate receives an annual honorarium of $5,000 with dedicated administrative and programmatic support from the Maine Arts Commission.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dawn Potter as Maine’s next Poet Laureate,” said Amy Hausmann, executive director of the Maine Arts Commission. “Her work reflects the depth, curiosity and generosity of Maine’s literary community, and we look forward to partnering with her over the next five years to celebrate poetry, amplify voices and help people across the state feel seen, heard and connected through the power of poetry.”

In celebration of National Poetry Month, the Maine Arts Commission hosted the second annual Poetry Celebration at the State Capitol’s Hall of Flags on April 3. The event  featured readings by more than 30 Maine poets, appearances by the outgoing and incoming Poet Laureates and performances by 2026 Poetry Out Loud champions and finalists.

Potter directs poetry and teaching programs at Monson Arts and offers online poetry classes through The Poetry Kitchen. She previously led poetry and teaching programs at The Frost Place for more than a decade and has served as a visiting writer at the Solstice MFA Program, Smith College, Endicott College and numerous other institutions. In addition to teaching, she works as a manuscript consultant and freelance editor for literary and academic presses.

Potter is the author or editor of 10 books of prose and poetry, most recently the poetry collection “Calendar”. She was a finalist for the National Poetry Series, and her memoir “Tracing Paradise: Two Years in Harmony with John Milton” received a Maine Literary Award in Nonfiction. Her work has appeared in Beloit Poetry Journal, The Sewanee Review, The Threepenny Review, The Times Literary Supplement and many other publications. She has received grants and fellowships from the Elizabeth George Foundation, The Writer’s Center and the Maine Arts Commission. Potter lives in Portland with her husband.

The Maine Arts Commission is an independent state agency that supports artists, arts organizations, and communities across all 16 counties, strengthening Maine’s cultural life and creative economy. Through grants, partnerships, and statewide initiatives, the Commission fosters public participation in the arts and advances Maine’s rich artistic heritage.