Anna Paige featured in ‘Poets in Montana’ segment with Montana Poet Laureate Mark Gibbons

I was recently interviewed as part of the Poets In Montana series by Montana Poet Laureate Mark Gibbons.

We hit on a lot of topics, from collaborations to writing about abuse, to teaching poetry and the natural tools everyone has to do so. I loved sharing some of my ekphrasis work, including this collaboration with collage artist Matthew Taggart, created for Donna Forbes on her 90th birthday.

Mark, who lives in Missoula, holds the 2021 – 2023 term. The position of Poet Laureate is appointed by the Governor and “recognizes and honors a citizen poet of exceptional talent and accomplishment” with a mission to advance and support poetic arts through outreach to Montana communities. It is an honorary position that does not contain any compensation from the state for serving.

I first met Mark in November 2021 when interviewing him for an article for the Billings Gazette. I loved his scrappy ways, and felt akin to the foul-mouthed and irreverent poet. Plus, anytime I can get ” bulls**t” in the paper, I consider a win.

“One of the several criticisms I’ve received over the years is that I’m a foul-mouthed poet,” said Gibbons, who agrees with the observation but doesn’t take issue with it. “Why should a large percentage of the adult population have their word choices censored by some religion-based authority of moral correctness?”

Damn right.