It’s BYOB for poet

OLYMPIA – Washington will have a poet laureate, it seems, but without a butt.

After 12 years of unsuccessful attempts, state lawmakers have agreed to hire an official state poet laureate – salary to be determined – to promote poetry statewide and compose poems for government events.

“We’re finally restoring an old, old tradition, and I think we’re really going to enjoy it,” said Sen. Ken Jacobsen, D-Seattle.

Lawmakers stopped short, however, of Jacobsen’s suggestion that they fully embrace the medieval tradition of providing the poet with a 126-gallon barrel – known as a “butt” – of wine. Instead, Jacobsen said he’ll see if the state wine commission would donate wine.

The bill now goes to the governor, who can veto it or sign it into law. Forty states and the federal government all have poets laureate, according to prime sponsor Rep. Mary Skinner, R-Yakima.

“A poet laureate would be the state’s official spokesperson in verse,” Skinner said, as well as promoting literacy and language.

“We have street poetry, we have poetry slams, we have logger poets, cowboy poets, all kinds of poets,” said Jacobsen.

Skinner’s House Bill 1279 includes $30,000 toward salary and expenses of the poet. But the state hopes most costs will be covered by grants and donations.

The poet, selected by the state arts commission, would serve a two-year term.

No one testified against the bill in the Senate on Thursday, although two senators – including local Sen. Mark Schoesler, R-Ritzville – voted no.

At hearings, only one person testified against the bill.

“I think there are better ways to spend money,” said Mary Jean Hrbacek, a retired naval officer from Shelton.

She’d like to see the $30,000 come out of the budget for the state arts commission.

“Thirty thousand dollars could pay for a lot of health care for kids,” she said.