A Century of Colorado's Greatest Poets in One Collection

Photo courtesy of Meg Falley

Named in September 2023 as the tenth Poet Laureate, Andrea Gibson, a Boulder-based nonbinary spoken-word poet and activist, left a lasting mark through six full-length collections, award wins, and memoir-style nonfiction. Their work centered on gender justice, mental health, politics, and hope. Even while navigating ovarian cancer, Gibson continued touring schools and literary events across the state, blending poetry with healing advocacy until their passing in July 2025.

Photo by Victor Fossen

The youngest and first poet laureate of color in Colorado, Bobby LeFebre brought dynamic spoken‑word energy to the role. A stage performer and cultural organizer rooted in the San Luis Valley, he led more than 130 events across the state. LeFebre used his platform to bridge communities, foster equity, and infuse poetry into civic life.

“If Andrea Gibson is any model of what a Poet Laureate can give to a community, then we need a million pages of these poems.”

adrienne marie brown

Writer, Activist and Facilitator

Photo by Kimberly Anderson Photography

Joseph Hutchison followed Mason, serving from 2014 to 2019. While detailed biographical sources are limited, he continued the tradition of literacy advocacy and poetry outreach before passing the role to Bobby LeFebre in 2019

Photo Courtesy of David Mason

A Colorado College English professor, David Mason was appointed laureate in 2010. His acclaimed books include The Buried Houses, Arrivals, and the verse novel Ludlow, which earned Colorado Book Awards and national praise. As laureate he championed poetry literacy through school visits, festivals, and civic events across the state

Photo Courtesy of Mary Crow

Mary Crow, a translator, poet, and professor, served an unusually long 14‑year tenure as Poet Laureate. Originally from Ohio and educated at the Iowa Writers Workshop, she taught at Colorado State University and earned numerous fellowships. Her poetry and translations appeared widely, her work recognized by NEA and Fulbright awards alike

Photo Courtesy of Western History Collection, Denver Public Library

Born in 1896 and educated at Colorado College, Ferril balanced a career in public relations with a deep love for poetry, becoming known as “The Poet of the Rockies.” Appointed laureate in 1979, he held the post until his death in 1988. Carl Sandburg praised him as one of America’s great poets, whose verse celebrated Colorado’s landscapes and spirit

Photographer Unknown
Photo Courtesy of Glenn Kiecker (via Durango Herald)

Appointed in 1954, Milford E. Shields served a notably brief term as Poet Laureate—just one year. Though not much has been widely published about his life or poetry, his appointment represents a transitional moment between longer‑serving laureates

Photographer Unknown
Photo Courtesy of AllPoetry.com

A Boulder poet known for writing about Colorado history, including a poem about Baby Doe Tabor, Robertson served as laureate briefly from 1952–1954. Though there’s less documentation than for other laureates, her work celebrated the state’s rich heritage and early mining culture

Photographer Unknown
Photo Courtesy of Colorado Springs Pioneers Museum

A writer, lecturer, and dedicated clubwoman born in Iowa in 1875, Nellie Burget Miller served as Poet Laureate for nearly thirty years following her 1923 appointment. She led the Colorado State Federation of Women’s Clubs and actively promoted literature statewide until her passing in 1952.

Photographer Unknown
Photo Courtesy of Evenings with Colorado Poets

Born in Kentucky in the mid‑1800s, Alice Polk Hill moved to Denver in 1873, where she became a cornerstone of Colorado’s early literary scene. A civic leader and advocate for women’s clubs, she was appointed Colorado’s first Poet Laureate by Governor Shoup in 1919 and held the honor until her death in 1921.