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After a robust application process and review committee led by some of our state’s finest writers, we formally appointed Truth Thomas as Howard County’s inaugural Poet Laureate in April 2024.

Thomas is a renowned and celebrated poet who has already left an enduring impact on our state and nation. He is a former writer-in-residence for HoCoPoLitSo whose poems have appeared in more than 150 publications. In 2013, Thomas won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Literary Work in Poetry in recognition for immense contributions to the field.

An accomplished poet, singer-songwriter, and photographer who holds a Master’s in Fine Arts in poetry, Thomas is the right artistic leader for these challenging times.

In his inaugural appearance, he reflected on the magnitude of the moment and his vision for the role with these words: “When I think about the blessing of being Howard County’s inaugural Poet Laureate, I celebrate most the opportunity to serve others through the arts—to honor the human dignity of all people. That is my literary prayer, to follow in the giant steps of great poets who have preceded me in that quest and—hopefully—leave a loving path for others to follow.”

As Howard County’s Poet Laurate, Thomas has shared his poetry with thousands of people at book festivals, arts events, community celebrations, and more. He has also addressed many of the challenging issues facing our county and nation through his words, as well as writing reflections on the shared history and identity of our county and community.

When Company Comes to This County
(after Langston Hughes)

The woods sip wine in Merriweather, break bread
with Monet morning. Near us. Hear us. The rich
Crayola box of our collective seeds takes root in
these, our promise fields. Their rise is mountains
airy. This is the sow-and-harvest state that states us.
Though weeds of disunion spread, none can choke

our stalks from ladder climbs to light. Near us.
Hear us. Hear Patapsco River clear its raspy throat
and say, “The full palette of our blooms belongs
here, however much storms of erasure may furrow
old, gray brows.” I am Lake Elkhorn’s water
cradle, gently rocking geese and butter goslings,

as grazing white-tailed deer look on, oil-welling
their necks in ever-watchful amens. I am summer-
sunning Painted Turtles, climbing up from chilly
water bowels to warm their olive shells—and quilts
of Quaker basements, spun from Underground
Railroad thread. We are the Ellicott City Colored

School (out of the kitchen), now plated at the table
when company comes to this county—place setting
of Good Trouble cutlery. Near us. Hear me, O bone-
yard swells of unmarked enslavement, John Eager
Howard’s most forgotten crop. When fireworks
fan their peacock tails, whistling smoky hope

of independence just down “The People Tree”
way, I have seen a Black man T-minus a better
red glare into inkwell night. Though, like Nina,
I wish I knew how it would feel to be free, I just
stopped by to tell you: our souls are building
telescopes. Our dreams are catalogs of stars.

 

~Truth Thomas

“Whether I was reading at a literary festival or sharing poems with a book club, my ‘laureate life’ has been a season flush with blessings,” Thomas says. “Every event I’ve been part of—or quietly attended—has carried equal weight of meaning, each offering its own edifying uniqueness. No one moment stands above another. Even so, in connection with my appointment, I have to say that one of its most tangible benefits has been getting to know Howard County—the place I call home—more deeply. Before becoming the Inaugural Poet Laureate, I hadn’t explored every corner of the county. Now I have—and that, too, has been a profoundly enriching experience.”

Asked about the most impactful moments during his first year as Howard County’s Poet Laureate, Thomas shares, “If there’s any preeminent meaning—or realization—to note, it’s this: there is a warmth that comes from championing our total humanity—a joy in being of service to others that helps shape the mosaic of what it means to be fully writer, fully artist, fully human.”

As Howard County’s first Poet Laureate, Thomas has elevated the role of poetry in our county and embodied the concept of speaking truth to power in a time when free expression and the arts are threatened. As an artist and a leader, Thomas uses his writing as a tool for advocacy, change-making, and sparking courageous conversations. In his words, “From my perspective, writing holds little purpose if it lacks spirit, authenticity, a meaningful connection to the world—with all its ugliness and beauty—and a sincere intention to edify all people. It should not be a glue stick for competition, a racetrack for awards, or a high jump for applause—not when human rights, all over the world, are burning.”

“We are in the crosshairs of efforts to dismantle democracy in the United States and render liberty as extinct as the woolly mammoth,” Thomas continues. “Artists of all genres—and certainly poets—can either bow to injustice or document its existence for transformative purposes. I am part of a continuum of Black writers who have spoken out beneath the knee of racism—like Derek Chauvin, pressing and oppressing us ‘from sea to shining sea.’ Unless I cry out for the breath of freedom to fill me—unless we cry out—the respiration of emancipation will never come. And though it’s possible that the howls of our suffering may amount to little, silence in the face of tyranny is already a form of death.”

As our Poet Laureate Truth Thomas has transformed the landscape of poetry in Howard County, so too has our Youth Poet Laureate, Mai-Anh Nguyen. Nguyen is a high school student in Howard County who is active in climate advocacy and community leadership. She won the Jack Chalker Young Writer’s Contest and was a finalist for both the Nancy Thorp Poetry Contest and Bennington Young Writers Awards. She received unanimous support from Howard County’s Review Panel of artists and poets to be nominated as the first Youth Poet Laureate for Howard County.

Youth Poet Laureates are among the most gifted literary talents in our schools and educational institutions, sharing their love for literature and poetic writing with young people and the broader community.

As Howard County and the Arts Council center the power of writing and poetry in Howard County’s arts scene, empowering and uplifting youth expression is essential. As the inaugural Youth Poet Laureate, Nguyen exudes a passion for poetry and its power to connect our communities and inspire change. She also recognizes that there are generational barriers to poetry among young people.

“I look forward to—hopefully—making poetry cool again,” Nguyen says. “Not just poetry, but literature and reading in general, because the empathy and imagination that we gain from peeking into others’ brains is invaluable.”

Reflecting on her role as Youth Poet Laureate during the past year, Nguyen shares, “I had never realized before that people could perceive me and hear the words I was saying. Not only could they hear me, but they were actively listening: once, following a reading of one of my poems, a mother came up to me to say that her young daughter had been completely transfixed. It shouldn’t be arrogant to say that I do have productive, valuable ideas to share—everyone does. I’ve learned much in the past year, but perhaps the most important of all is that when someone has the courage to speak up, we all ought to listen.”

As an active member of the Howard County Conservancy’s Youth Climate Institute, Nguyen has also used her voice and position to raise awareness about the climate crisis and environmental advocacy. She is active in her school community at Oakland Mills High School, participating in National Art Honor Society, National Spanish Honor Society, tennis, and theater. As a writer, Nguyen has also used her poetry to engage and inspire other young writers to use poetry to foster identity and promote change.

“I am of the belief that poetry, while not the most popular form of art, is just as valuable as any other medium that can be used for advocacy. My own work is imbued with deeply personal thoughts and emotions, but the fact remains that every experience I have could be relatable to someone out there,” says Nguyen. “I do not think of myself as someone who writes about society or the world, only the individual pieces that make up our collective understanding of the world.”

As she finishes her term as Howard County’s inaugural Youth Poet Laureate this Summer, Nguyen hopes that she has forged a pathway for new youth poets to be inspired to share their writing and literary art with the world.

“It has been an honor to serve as the first Youth Poet Laureate of Howard County, and I am thrilled to pass the baton on to somebody else,” says Nguyen. “What sets poetry apart from prose is that there are quite literally no rules, and I think the same goes for the people who write it. There is no set mold for what the next Youth Poet Laureates can or should look, think, or act like, and that in itself has its meaning. Everyone has their right to individuality, but it is equally important that we as representatives also promote a sense of community through literature and poetry.”

Through our Poet Laureate and Youth Poet Laureate programs, artistic leaders and poets are more connected to our community than ever before. From our schools and gathering places, to our energized Downtowns and Main Streets, the arts are the heartbeat and soul of our county, breathing life and meaning into our everyday lives.

In just one year, Howard County’s transformative Poet Laureate programs have already made their mark and energized our local ecosystem of artists, creators, visionaries, and residents alike. Other counties and communities seeking to deepen their commitment to the arts and literary expression need look no further than Howard County as a model for amplifying poetry and literature.

In challenging times, we are reminded of the power of poetry and art to connect, heal, and inspire. Through this power, we continue our work to create a more vibrant county, state, nation, and world for generations to come.

Header Image: Howard County Executive Calvin Ball reads from This is Honey: An Anthology
of Contemporary Black Poets by Kwame Alexander, as Truth Thomas shares remarks at
HoCoPoLitSo event on October 7, 2024.

Editor’s note: this announcement was created in partnership with the Howard County Government.