The Mississippi Arts Commission announced the appointment of Ann Fisher-Wirth of Oxford as the state’s new Poet Laureate on Thursday.

The appointment, made by Gov. Tate Reeves, names Fisher-Wirth to serve as the official state poet for a four-year term.

As Poet Laureate, Fisher-Wirth will create and present poetry for state occasions, promote literacy, and represent Mississippi’s cultural heritage through her work.

Fisher-Wirth brings an extensive record of literary achievement to the position. She has received three Mississippi Arts Commission Poetry Fellowships, the Mississippi Institute of Arts Poetry Award, and fifteen Pushcart Prize nominations.

In 2023, she was honored with the Governor’s Arts Award for Excellence in Literature and Poetry from the Mississippi Arts Commission.

Her body of work includes multiple poetry collections. Her eighth book, “Into the Chalice of Your Thoughts,” is a poetry and photography collaboration with Wilfried Raussert, featuring Spanish translations by the Women in Translation collective.

Other recent works include “Paradise Is Jagged” and “Mississippi,” a poetry and photography collaboration with Maude Schuyler Clay.

More information about Ann Fisher-Wirth and the role of Mississippi’s Poet Laureate is available at arts.ms.gov/poetlaureate.