State Poet Laureate shines at Central Michigan University

Reading to a full audience in Central Michigan University’s Opperman Auditorium, Poet Laureate Nandi Comer delighted the crowd with her poems and answered several questions about her writing process and career during her visit to campus November 6^th.

The English Department’s Meijer Visiting Writers Series brought Comer to campus to share work from her most recent collections as well as her works-in-progress.

Selected in 2022 by the Library of Michigan, Comer is Michigan’s second Poet Laureate, but the first in more than 60 years, since poet Edgar Guest’s tenure, which began in 1952.

The position of Poet Laureate is a two-year term, and Comer brought a wealth of experience as poet, educator, and community advocate to her service. Prior to her role as Poet Laureate, Comer dedicated herself to youth development as a curriculum developer and consultant, as well as a writer-in-residence in schools and community centers, in collaborations with organizations such as YArts and InsideOut Literary Arts Project in Detroit.

English faculty member Robert Fanning worked with Comer from 2005-2008 at InsideOut and introduced her at the event. He says Comer embodies what the Poet Laureate position is all about.

“Throughout her career, Nandi Comer has recognized the power of engaging all communities with poetry,” said Fanning.

Okemos junior Sofia Johnson, a secondary English education major, was struck by the positivity and buoyant tone of Comer’s reading, which was held the day after the often rancorous presidential election.

“Nandi's visit taught me to never let that flame of hope in my heart be distinguished by the hate that surrounds our lives, and to appreciate the community we have the privilege of experiencing here in the CMU English department,” said Johnson.

In addition to her reading, Comer visited two of Professor Fanning’s creative writing classes the following day, bringing dozens of recent books by Michigan poets to donate to CMU students.

Students in Fanning’s English 592: Advanced Poetry Workshop were thrilled to be taking home stacks of new books, as well as complimentary journals and pens emblazoned with the Michigan Poet Laureate logo. They also relished the opportunity to engage with Comer about her own book, Tapping Out, which they’d studied in advance of her visit.

“One thing I enjoyed about Nandi is how proud she was of us as poets because of our critical eye to her collection of poems, Tapping Out,” said Ashley Adams, a Master of Arts in creative writing candidate from Flint. “It warmed her heart at how excited we are to see published works of our classmates in the future.”