Poetry Connection | Can You Guess the Most Popular Post-PL Question?

One of Five AWCSB-Honored Women of Achievement, Our Columnist Reflects on Her Term as Poet Laureate

Melinda Palacio at the AWC Women of Achievement Luncheon | Photo: Leslie Dinaberg

There’s a question on everyone’s mind. If you follow this column, you’re probably curious about the answer too. Now that my two-year term as City of Santa Barbara Poet Laureate is over, it seems everyone I encounter wants to know how I feel. Most people who ask this question assume that my schedule over the past two years has been a burden. However, the truth is that I enjoyed every minute. I didn’t have a poetry boss forcing me to present my work or to bring poetry to different community spaces. Those were goals that I set for myself. I realize I was in a unique position, having received a post-pandemic laureateship, at a time when the world was opening up and recovering from our pandemic lockdown. My predecessor, Emma Trelles, S.B. Poet Laureate Number Nine, didn’t get a chance to receive all the pomp and circumstance of being crowned Poet Laureate at our City Hall or have a gathering of friends and supporters after. I was lucky to have had friends attend my ceremony from as far south as Ventura, Oxnard, Los Angeles, Pasadena, and Tia Juana. After the City Hall ceremony and photos, everyone walked to the Santa Barbara Historical Museum, where there was a cake and champagne.

La Santa Cecilia performs at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival | Photo: Courtesy

It was such an honor and continues to be so. I was more than happy to be the public face of poetry, a poetry ambassador, and teacher for the community and beyond. I am also humbled and honored that the Association of Women in Communications is honoring the work that I did as Poet Laureate in naming me one of five Women of Achievement in their 17th annual Women of Achievement Awards. The theme for this year’s awards is Creative Communication: Building Community Through Arts. Honorees include Adriana Arriaga, visual artist known at adriana la artista, entrepreneur and activist; Teresa Kuskey, founder/artistic director of La Boheme Dance; Frances Moore, cofounder/artistic director, Santa Barbara Ringshout Project; myself; and JoAnne Wasserman, artistic director and conductor, Santa Barbara Choral Society.

I cannot deny being a little relieved that I will be able to slow down and take a little break from the whirlwind poetry tour that’s been the past two years. One of the things I had a chance to enjoy again was the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival or Jazz Fest. Jazz Fest takes place during the last week of April and the first week of May from Thursday to Sunday. Don’t let the term jazz fool you, there’s a large variety of music, something for everyone. The highlight for me this year was La Santa Cecilia. I saw her band more than 15 years ago at a literary festival in Pacoima, well before they became internationally acclaimed Grammy winners. La Santa Cecilia was recently in Santa Barbara as part of the Viva El Arte program, but it was fun seeing the band in New Orleans with the smells of crawfish Monica and oyster po’boys wafting through the air.

The Blues Tent at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival (left) and Melinda Palacio in New Orleans | Photo: Courtesy

In poetry news, I have a new collection I am working on and I am also aligning the stars to bring the Somos Xicanas anthology to Santa Barbara. This anthology, published by the independent press Riot of Roses, features poetry from more than 80 Chicana writers. Some names you might recognize and others will prove to be new gems you’ll want to explore further. The collection as a whole has been in the works for a long time and has endured multiple editors and survived changing publishing houses. I am honored to be included. I had the pleasure of reading with several contributors in March at La Plaza Cultural in downtown Los Angeles. I look forward to bringing this important anthology to Santa Barbara this fall.

Upcoming Poetry Events

Saturday, May 24

GA’AGÉ TAYA (Crow Daughter) and George Yatchisin, Poetry in the Gallery, open mic afterward, host Sean Colletti, Studio Channel Islands Art Center (2222 Ventura Blvd., Camarillo), 3 p.m.

Wednesday, May 28

George Yatchisin, Clayton E. Clark, and some of the winners of the Santa Barbara Unified School District’s 2025 Poetry Contest, host Jace Turner, Faulkner Gallery, Santa Barbara Public Library (40 E. Anapamu St.), 5:30-6:30 p.m.

Sunday, June 8

The Poetry Zone Monthly Reading, Karpeles Manuscript Library (21 W. Anapamu St.), 1:30-3 p.m.

Monday, June 9

Lowstate Salon, this month, Margueritte Del Cheva will guide the writing event focusing on how to to listen to our inner critic without fear, Casa Agria (418 State St.), 7-9 p.m.