PORT ANGELES — Nellie Bridge of Sequim will serve as Clallam County’s next poet laureate, stepping into the two-year position this April.
Bridge currently works with upper elementary school children at Five Acres School in Dungeness.
“I encourage young students to write expressively and enjoy language, which keeps me delighting in poems and words,” she said in a press release.
With poems that are grounded in direct observation, Bridge’s themes often explore the ideas of identity, place, experience and the desire to connect as both a newcomer and returning stranger.
Bridge recently moved back to Sequim, her childhood hometown, after she worked with teens in Sofia, Bulgaria, for four years and in Lima, Peru, for two additional years.
Bridge’s education includes a bachelor’s degree from The Evergreen State College and a master’s in fine arts from New York University, where she was a New York Times Fellow.
She has apprenticed with The Yolla Bolly Press, Copper Canyon Press and the Wells Book Arts Center. Her poems have appeared in more than six journals, she has published two chapbooks and her manuscript “Holes in the Ship of Theseus” is currently shortlisted for the Best of the Bottom Drawer Prize.
“She’s amazing,” Youth Services Librarian Clair Dunlap told the Clallam County commissioners on Monday. “I’m very excited she will be serving our county.”
Two of the primary goals of Clallam County’s Poet Laureate program are to bring diverse perspectives and voices to audiences across the county and to bring communities together, according to the press release.
To work toward those goals, Bridge plans to offer events for people of all ages, abilities and experiences, including those in long-term care or those in the justice system.
Bridge’s term as poet laureate will run from April 2025 to March 2027. Her first year will be focused on generative poetry events and she intends for the second year to be focused on poetry dissemination.
One of her hopes is to partner with organizations in displaying poetry in unexpected places throughout the county, according to the press release.
She also hopes to collaborate on poetry translations and look into creating an anthology of new and old poems from the community.
Dunlap said she hopes the continuation of the poet laureate program will encourage the buildup of self-sustaining poetry communities and poetry events across the county.
For her work, Bridge will receive a $10,000 stipend funded by the North Olympic Library Foundation and Clallam County.
Bridge’s role as poet laureate will build upon the foundation established by Jaiden Dokken, the first poet laureate, whose two-year term expires in March.
The transition between poet laureates will occur during Poetry Fest from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. April 4 at the Port Angeles Main Library and on Zoom.
During the event, Dokken will perform their final reading as poet laureate. Bridge will then kick off her two-year term with her own poetry reading.
There also will be beginner-friendly poetry activities and a variety of poetry books available for attendees to browse.
A second Poetry Fest celebration will occur from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. April 25 at the Forks Branch Library.
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Reporter Emma Maple can be reached by email at emma.maple@peninsuladailynews.com.
