The Selection Committee is delighted to announce that the next Poet Laureate of Silver City and Grant County will be Eve West Bessier.

This honorary role is awarded to a person who has established a presence in the world of poetry, demonstrated a commitment to the literary art form, and embraces the opportunity to engage in civil discourse. Following the tenure of co-poets laureate Beate Sigriddaughter and Jack Crocker, the committee received several applications for the role and after interviewing all applicants, the committee offered Bessier the position.

Eve West Bessier was born in the Netherlands. When Eve was seven, she and her mother immigrated to San Francisco. Eve holds a Master of Education from the University of California, Davis as well as a Bachelor of Arts in English from San Francisco State University. She moved to New Mexico almost five years ago, and is the new host and coordinator of  the monthly Just Words Literary Reading series. Eve is an award-winning author of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction whose latest poetry collection, Roots Music: Listening to Jazz, has just been published, and novel, New Rain, was just released in paperback. Eve is a retired social scientist, studio musician, jazz vocalist and voice coach, and visual artist. A nature enthusiast, Eve hikes on the Continental Divide Trail daily and enjoys the many cultural events Silver City offers.

The poet will serve a two-year term, beginning May 1, 2019, with an option for a third year if mutually agreed. The Poet Laureate program is run by the Southwest Festival of the Written Word.