Poetry Connection: Connecting with Fiesta Poet Laureate, Father Larry

Fiesta’s 2026 El Presidente, Colin Hayward, has named Father Larry the Inaugural Poet Laureate of Fiesta. I had the pleasure of meeting Father Larry at last year’s Fiesta Pequeña, when I sang with the Flor y Canto singers at the Mission. Father Larry has been serving at Old Mission Santa Barbara for 14 years. From the first day he arrived, he was asked to co-host Fiesta Pequeña. He’s been part of the Fiesta tradition ever since. “I was overwhelmed and completely taken aback by what I saw and experienced that first night,” he said, “That first thrill of love has never left me.” Even though he now splits his time between Santa Barbara and Malibu’s Serra Retreat House, he cherishes Fiesta and is honored to hold the distinguished position as Poet Laureate of Old Spanish Days.

What some may not know about Father Larry is that he is a poet who discovered his love for the craft and developed a passion for words, expression, and meaning while in college. “One day, I got inspired and wrote a poem and was completely enthralled by its content and expression,” he recalled. He also found a deep connection to letter writing.

However, it wasn’t until he traveled to India and worked with Saint Mother Teresa’s Community in Calcutta that he became deeply immersed in poetry, especially after studying the Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore. Father Larry started writing more poetry and published his first book, Hidden Sweetness. He also began sharing his poems as spiritual and liturgical reflections as he prepared his homilies for Mass. “I found this poetic work brought the scriptures and my inner appreciation for them much more alive and personal,” he said.

With poetry being a new offering to the Fiesta festivities, Father Larry is excited about what the position might entail. He says he was surprised and excited about the honor of being Poet Laureate of Fiesta. “I am still trying to figure out and see what this will mean for Old Spanish Days, and the beautiful people and community of Santa Barbara,” he said, “I am open to all things and suggestions in this regard and development.”

We will also be following Father Larry and the poetics of Fiesta, and publishing the winners in the Independent. In the meantime, enjoy some of Father Larry’s poetry and enter your own poetry in this year’s inaugural Fiesta Poetry Contest. (See details about entering below, and at https://sbfiesta.org/poetry-contest/)

For those not interested in contests, but are thinking about writing poetry for themselves, Father Larry has some words of encouragement:

“I want to encourage anyone who might want to write to do so. Anyone can compose a poem, and in so doing, you compose a part of yourself, and I think you bring to light a life that is within you, and something that others can see and resonate with.”

This week’s Poetry Connection poems are by Father Larry Gosselin, O.F.M.

Love — The Open Heart
by Larry Gosselin, O.F.M.

There are days
when the sun seems to go down like a hard fist.
We may think there is
nothing to be seen here of heaven.
It is in those days
that we need to get our hearts checked.
Or better yet, our diminished spirits.
Heaven has no angry fist.
Only hands opened in love.
Let us then seek to hear, little by little,
those voices that speak to us of possibilities of love, of peace.
Keeping looking,
it is never too late, nor to dark, to see!
Even when the sun seems to be sinking on the horizon, it is never so far away to see the new light of day.
It might be then, that we see the fist lose its grip, turning into an opening hand.
Extending an invitation to love.
More, even more.

Fiesta Forever

by Fr. Larry Gosselin, ofm

There are things, you cannot teach,
as there are things you cannot reach.
Reach we must, to teach as we preach.
All of creation was made in seven days,
but in our community, creation is in four.
Santa Barbarens,
are recreated anew
as Fiesta comes alive.
“Viva La Fiesta!” is the word that creates!
LIfe comes to love, as our love comes to life.
From the many years, tears, joys, and grace,
Santa Barbara is alive in a passion of beauty.
 Stage is set for fiesta that is far from “pequena”!
Santa Barbarens,
are recreated anew
as Fiesta comes alive.
Passionate people reborn in a life that is beautiful.
“Viva la Fiesta!” is a battle cry of celebration to live.
To love, to dance, to love to dance, and dance to love.
To recreate from that which is old, as to remake it new.
As this is our community, this is creation, this is passion.
Santa Barbarens,
are recreated anew
as Fiesta comes alive.
To have a view of an ocean of people from the Mission steps.
Looking out to throngs of beautiful people, Fiesta colorful clad.
As riding down East Cabrillo Blvd., another ocean view of beauty.
The ocean, sky blue, palms trees, sun drenched, waving in the wind.
People waving, shouting, dancing, loving, creating anew from the old. 
Santa Barbarens,
are recreated anew
as Fiesta comes alive.
“Viva la Fiesta! Santa Barbara! Que Viva!” Fiesta Forever, Forever!   

Daffodils Dangle in Daylight

by Larry Gosselin, O.F.M.

The first hint of spring                                   above the chill of winter.
A cold sunny bright day                                    brings glimpse of new life.
Miniature budding daffodils                          yearning to catch sunbeams.
Life is indeed like that miniature               growth groping to capture light.
Sometimes life reminds me, being a mere child and walking into the forest,
therein resides a hidden, graceful, clearing filled with King Alfred daffodils.
The forest is most dark, but somehow the darkness can be even richer than
the light, more blessed; provided that one stay brave and keep one’s sight
on going in, and not holding back in fear.  It is like the water of a river,
 flowing torrentially deep; but in sunlight, what looked to be dark
was only part of hidden light.  The flowing water was glowing.
It is in the water, that I saw; as I am seen, and given to be.
The graceful water of rebirth is a gentle reminder
in same glimmer of light, held in darkness.
As daffodils hidden in a forest clearing,
reach for the light, holding a secret.
Sacred secret known, told to all,
“For you are my beloved one!
On you my favor rests.”
Reach for the light!
Open your petals!
Even in winter
…blossom…
bloom!

Poetry Events:

Sunday, May 17

The Poetry Club, Goleta Valley Library, Goleta Community Center, 5679 Hollister Ave, Goleta, 2-3:30. Every third Sunday of the month.

Sunday, May 17

Let’s Chat About Poetry with Laure-Anne Bosselaar. Reading of favorite poems, 4-5 pm, Domecil, located in Victoria Court, 1223 State Street, Santa Barbara.

Tuesday, May 19

Ojai Library Poetry, Tamara Miller Davis, and open mic, Ojai Library, 111 Ojai Avenue, Hosts Judy Oberlander and Crystal Davis, 6 p.m.

Wednesday, May 20

Chaucer’s Books, Book release/signing for the anthology, “A Feast for Santa Barbara.” Poetry reading and book signing, 6 p.m, Chaucer’s Books, 3321 State Street.

Thursday, May 21

Parallel Stories, Author Eleni Kilelianos will read from her latest book, a genre-busting encounter between a poet and her ancestral past documenting a startling intersection of queer history, ancient theater, utopian visions, and modern poetry. Santa Barbara Museum of Art, ticketed event, 5-6:30, 1130 State Street.

Saturday, May 23

Poetry in the Gallery, Enid Osborn and Fernando Albert Salinas, and open mic at Studio Channel Islands Art Center, 2222 Ventura Blvd, Camarillo, 3 p.m.

Saturday, May 23

People’s Playground: Avant-garde Art & Community. Film, performance, and poetry, at Studio Channel Islands Art Center, 2222 Ventura Blvd, Camarillo.

Sunday, May 31

The Old Spanish Days Fiesta Poetry Contest. The new deadline is May 31, for a new poetry competition open to residents of Santa Barbara County. The competition is open to writers in the following age categories — 11 and under, 12-18 years old, 19+ years old — with first-place prizes of $100, $200, and $300, respectively. Runners-up will be awarded in each of the three age categories and receive bookstore gift certificates. The deadline for submissions is May 31. The online entry form and a full list of rules and regulations can be found at https://sbfiesta.org/poetry-contest/. Viva la poesía.

Friday, June 5

Speaker Series at Clementine Carter Wines, The Gunpowder Press Anthology, A Feast for Santa Barbara: Poets Celebrating Food and Wine will present seven of the poets, including editor George Yatchisin, at Clementine Carter Wines in Los Alamos, 5:30 -7 p.m., 388 Bell Street, Los Alamos.

Sunday, June 7

Vita Art Center, Scott Charles and Paul Willis, 28 W Main Street, Ventura, CA, with host Phil Taggart, poetry first Sunday starts at 3 p.m.

Tuesday, June 9

Lowstate Writing Salon, Writing community with a big focus on play &  sparking something weird, 7 p.m. at the Blue Owl, 5 W Canon Perdido, Santa Barbara. 

Thursday, June 11

 Pride on the Page: Queer Lit & Poetry Night, at Seven Bar, features include Michelle Petty, Solange Aguilar, MT Vallarta, Trish Fancher, Sunny Malhotra, Makenna Arase, and music by Nicole Sophia, Mister Sister on the mic as MC, suggested donation of $5-20 to pay performers. 6-9 p.m.

Sunday, June 21

The Poetry Club, Goleta Valley Library, Goleta Community Center, 5679 Hollister Ave, Goleta, 2-3:30.

Sunday-Friday, June 21-26

The Santa Barbara Writers Conference. Poetry workshops and speakers and more, six days of literary offerings at the Mar Monte Hotel.

Sunday, June 21

Poetry Panel, a discussion of the state of poetry with seven Santa Barbara Poets Laureate at the Santa Barbara Writers Conference.