Carrboro Arts Committee names new poet laureate

The Carrboro Arts Committee has named award-winning poet, author and Carrboro Poets Council member Celisa Steele as its new poet laureate.

Steele’s term will last two years, ending June 30, 2015.

“One of the main duties of the poet laureate is to engage in activities that enhance bringing the presence of poetry into the social and civic life of Carrboro,” said Rah Trost, a member of the arts committee and recreation supervisor for the Carrboro Recreation and Parks Department.

Potential opportunities for the poet laureate to exercise her duties include participating in Carrboro Day, contributing to the organization of the West End Poetry Festival — held each year in October — and working with local schools.

In addition to community outreach, poet laureates are also in place to articulate the experiences of Carrboro residents, said Clara Jackson, the chairwoman of the arts commission.

“You know, we’re very diverse, but poetry is accessible to the community as a whole,” Jackson said.

“The written word is powerful.”

Steele’s work conveys a realism that Jackson said the committee is confident will resonate with Carrboro citizens.

“Her maturity really comes out in her poetry. I think that she has no illusions about life and that it can be difficult but that it also can be very beautiful,” Jackson said.

“The way that she illustrates that is very accessible and that is key … it’s something that I think people can grab and understand much more easily than other poets.”

Jackson also said that she is confident in Steele’s commitment and efficacy in her role as poet laureate.

“I do believe that she is so entrenched in this community that anything that she puts her mind to and does is definitely going to touch this community,” Jackson said. “I don’t see her as anyone who is going to leave us untouched and we are very, very happy that she has decided to take the position as poet laureate.”

Steele said that she hopes to grow the initiatives Carrboro has already invested in. Whereas Steele hopes to enhance the Carrboro Music Festival, as well as the Carrboro Film Festival, she said she is focused on the West End Poetry festival in particular.

“I really think that that has an opportunity to really grow and become a real event that attracts non-poets as well as poets,” she said. “I want to continue to build on what has happened so far with the festival and move that forward.”

Steele said she wants to showcase different approaches to poetry as well as different stages in the development of poets. She also hopes to draw both uninitiated members and newcomers to poetry and hone their appreciation of the art.

Steele said poetry has an uncanny ability to help people relate to each other.

“It’s another way to get to real assent aside from actual experience,” she said. “I think that real poems can make you feel like you’ve experienced something. So, for me as a consumer of poetry, you basically learn something in a different way — not the cerebral, rational way but in a real way, almost as if you’ve experienced that thing yourself.”

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