Roses are red, violets are blue, Ohio lacks a poet laureate but might have one soon.
The Ohio Senate unanimously approved Senate Bill 84, which creates the position, on Wednesday. The bill now goes to the House for debate.
Bill sponsor Sen. Eric Kearney, a Cincinnati Democrat, said 44 states have poet laureates. Ohio’s poet laureate would serve a four-year term and be appointed by the governor from a list of nominees. He or she would have to hold at least four readings in urban and rural counties and at least one reading would be open to the public.
“Ohio has been home to many poets such as Langston Hughes, Paul Lawrence Dunbar, James Wright and Nikki Giovanni who grew up in my district,” Kearney said. “In creating the post of Ohio poet laureate, we will show Ohioans the esteem we hold for civil and meaningful discourse. We will also show our appreciation for deeper thinking and set a good example for our students.”
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