NEWS: Utah Poet Laureate Releases 4th Collection of Poetry

SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Poet Laureate Lance Larsen’s fourth collection of poems, Genius Loci, has been published by University of Tampa Press. Larsen teaches literature and creative writing at Brigham Young University, where he currently serves as associate chair. In 2012, he was named to a five-year term as Utah Poet Laureate.

“We’re delighted to announce the publication of Lance’s latest book,” said Utah Arts & Museums Director Lynnette Hiskey. “His poetry is lucid and engaging, accessible yet rich with profound observations.”

Kelly Cherry, author of The Retreats of Thought: Poems, said this about Larsen’s latest collection: “Lance Larsen's fourth collection of poems is as beautifully curated as an art exhibition. Each poem impresses itself on mind and eye and heart like an object brilliantly made and suddenly essential, suddenly necessary. Wry wit, perfectly etched lines, and a talent for finding poems in unexpected places are hallmarks. His is an important, clarifying voice that you don't want to miss.”

Larsen's earlier collections include Backyard Alchemy (2009), In All Their Animal Brilliance (2005), and Erasable Walls (1998). He holds a PhD from the University of Houston. His work appears widely in numerous publications, and his nonfiction has twice made the Notable Essay list in Best American Essays. He is currently working on Seventeen Ways to Float, a collection of essays about place, family, and memory which won first place in the 2011 Utah Original Writing Competition. Larsen grew up in Idaho and Colorado and lived in Chile for two years while serving an LDS mission.

Utah initiated its Poet Laureate program in 1997. The Poet Laureate is a Governor-appointed advocate for literature and the arts throughout the state. The Poet Laureate is available for readings at public events and in venues including libraries, universities, schools, etc. To request a reading or attendance at an event, please submit the appearance request form via e-mail to Jean Tokuda Irwin or fax to 801.533.4202. Requests are honored based on the nature of the request and the availability of the Poet Laureate.