Today, Sam Green was named Washington State’s first poet laureate.  I’m embarrassed to say that I’d never heard of Sam until the announcement today. Sam has been a poet in the schools for thrity years. Along with his wife, Sally, he is editor/publisher of  Brooding Heron Press. They live, write and publish on Waldron Island. Okay, I’ve never heard of Waldron Island either. It’s a small island in the San Juans with few people, about 104 in 2000, and few amenities. But the island is rich in hosting the state’s first poet laureate.

Cheers to Sam and to WA State for recognizing that poetry matters.