Poet Laureate of Missouri

Missouri Poet Laureate
Incumbent
Justin Hamm
since October 1, 2025
AppointerGovernor of Missouri
Term lengthTwo years
FormationJanuary 8, 2008
First holderWalter Bargen

The poet laureate of Missouri, officially the Missouri poet laureate, is the official poet of the U.S. state of Missouri. The office was established in January 2008 by governor of Missouri Matt Blunt.[a]

The Missouri poet laureate is appointed by the governor of Missouri on recommendation of the Missouri Poet Laureate Advisory Committee, which was established in May 2016.[3]

List

No. Name Term Appointed by Ref.
1 Walter Bargen February 13, 2008 – January 2010 Matt Blunt [4]
2 David Clewell March 3, 2010 – January 31, 2012 Jay Nixon [4]
3 William Trowbridge April 13, 2012 – June 29, 2016 Jay Nixon [4]
4 Aliki Barnstone June 30, 2016 – 2019 Jay Nixon [4]
5 Karen Craigo November 2019 – June 2021 Mike Parson [4]
6 Maryfrances Wagner July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2023 Mike Parson [4]
7 David L. Harrison July 1, 2023 – September 30, 2025 Mike Parson [5]
8 Justin Hamm October 1, 2025 – Incumbent Mike Kehoe [6]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Per Executive Order 08-01.[1] Superseded by EO 09-28[2] and subsequently EO 16-06.[3]

References

  1. ^ Blunt, Matt (January 8, 2008). "Executive Order 08-01". Missouri Secretary of State. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  2. ^ Nixon, Jay (December 24, 2009). "Executive Order 09-28". Missouri Secretary of State. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  3. ^ a b Nixon, Jay (May 27, 2016). "Executive Order 16-06". Missouri Secretary of State. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Armenti, Peter (August 3, 2023). "U.S. State Poets Laureate: A Resource Guide". Library of Congress. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  5. ^ "Nominate Missouri's Next Poet Laureate". Missouri Arts Council. Archived from the original on June 25, 2025. Retrieved March 10, 2026.
  6. ^ "Governor Kehoe Announces Justin Hamm as Missouri Poet Laureate". Office of Governor Mike Kehoe. October 1, 2025. Archived from the original on March 10, 2026. Retrieved March 10, 2026.