"Poetry for me is connective, a spiritual activity." A talk with MO Poet Laureate Karen Craigo

Summary: Did you know that Missouri has an official poet? Well, we do and she lives in Springfield. Karen Craigo was appointed the fifth Missouri Poet Laureate by Governor Mike Parson for 2019 to 2021. “It’s amazing, ” she said of the appointment. “I can’t even begin to tell you how good it feels to have that sort of stamp of approval from the Governor.” “Poetry for me is meaning-making … and connective … and spiritual activity,” she said. “For me, it’s like I sort of go into my place and it’s worship. It’s deep. It’s not an academic endeavor. It’s a connection to the deepest thing you can be connected to. And there are people who probably need poetry. They need to make sense of their lives. They need to hear it. It’s good for people, good for their spirits.”