And then there were two: Ohio finally appoints a state poet laureate.

From the better late than never file:

Amit Majmudar has been named Ohio's first-ever state poet laureate. This leaves only two states to never have established the position in their respective histories--New Mexico and Massachusetts. (Although New Jersey and Pennsylvania abolished the position in their states during the Great Poetry Purge of 2003*. But at least they once had the position.)

No one really expects much out of New Mexico, save for some lovely vistas and turquoise jewelry. Massachusetts though? Roughly 765,000 colleges and universities crammed together, never mind countless famous writers, and not a single poet laureate to be found?

Sounds like someone's just being a contrarian.



*For reasons unknown, both states became irked by the notion of a state poet laureate in 2003. Because who needs culture, really?