The poet laureate of Lansing, Ruelaine Stokes, was recently named one of 23 winners of a $50,000 fellowship from the Academy of American Poets.
Stokes is devoting a portion of that money to a poetry contest. There will be cash prizes, and the winning poems will be included in a public art installation at the Tollgate Drain Wetlands.
Poems around the theme "We Are Water" can be submitted through October 17, 2025. Those participating can submit up to three poems, but each has a limit of 25 lines.
"The wetlands is all about clean water, preserving, purifying water, so that it can return easily, economically and without damaging the environment," Stokes said.
"So, poems about our human connection to water. Poems about our human connection to the environment."
Interview Highlights
On this new poetry project
One of the things that the fellowship funds is a community poetry project, and that is going to be the Poetry Pathways Project in the Tollgate Drain Wetlands. We're going to put up a series of signs, really, really durable signs, signs that will last 100 years at least. And the winners of the poetry contest that we're launching will have their poem featured on a sign along with artwork.
On the requirements for the contest
We want short poems because we want the poems to be very readable. The letters will be fairly large. So, people can submit up to three poems of 25 lines or less, and those lines include the title and all of the empty lines between stanzas. So, it's a place for short poems. We're looking especially for poems that will resonate with visitors to the Tollgate Drain Wetlands.
On her advice on getting inspired to write
My advice to writers is to visit Tollgate, perhaps several times or many times. Walk around the ponds, absorb the natural beauty, sit down on a bench, really look and observe what's going on, and then also look at the poetry suggestions, the poetry prompts we have on my website. Take a lot of notes, and then we've got some great ideas for sort of giving you a fresh approach to this subject, but also you might find your own way that could be better than something we think of.
Interview Transcript
Scott Pohl: The poet laureate of Lansing, Ruelaine Stokes, was recently named one of 23 winners of a $50,000 fellowship from the Academy of American Poets.
Stokes is devoting a portion of that money to a poetry contest. There will be cash prizes, and the winning poems will be included in a public art installation.
This week, we go Inside the Arts to learn more about her "We Are Water" poetry competition.
Ruelaine Stokes: Well, one of the things that the fellowship funds is a community poetry project, and that is going to be the Poetry Pathways Project in the Tollgate Drain Wetlands.
We're going to put up a series of signs, really, really durable signs, signs that will last 100 years at least. And the winners of the poetry contest that we're launching will have their poem featured on a sign along with artwork.
Scott Pohl: So, you've put out this call for entries. What are the criteria that you're asking local poets to meet for the poems that they submit?
Stokes: Well, one thing, we want short poems because we want the poems to be very readable. The letters will be fairly large. So, people can submit up to three poems of 25 lines or less, and those lines include the title and all of the empty lines between stanzas. So, it's a place for short poems. We're looking especially for poems that will resonate with visitors to the Tollgate Drain Wetlands.
The wetlands is all about clean water, preserving, purifying water, so that it can return easily, economically and without damaging the environment. So, poems about our human connection to water. Poems about our human connection to the environment.
My advice to writers is to visit Tollgate, perhaps several times or many times. Walk around the ponds, absorb the natural beauty, sit down on a bench, really look and observe what's going on, and then also look at the poetry suggestions, the poetry prompts we have on my website. Take a lot of notes, and then we've got some great ideas for sort of giving you a fresh approach to this subject, but also you might find your own way that could be better than something we think of. So, that's the idea.
Pohl: We're talking with Lansing poet laureate Ruelaine Stokes about her recent national award and the poetry contest that she's sponsoring. You're encouraging local poets to write a poem about water, and you have graced us with your own new poem. We have a world premiere today, right?
Stokes: Right. It really is a world premiere.
Pohl: What's it called?
Stokes It's called "Body of Water."
Body of Water
I am awash in water
my mouth is a wet cave
my flapping tongue coated with saliva
a musty damp gathers under my arms
and between my toes
tears shield my eyes
my thoughts hire messengers
to navigate the canals in my brain
my sturdy heart speaks in iambic verse
embraces my body in a vast net
of arteries, veins & microscopic capillaries
lying next to every cell
did I tell you 70% of each cell is water?
that each cell is surrounded by water
water within water
I am a walking/talking body of water
mixed with stardust
and time
—ruelaine stokes, 8/13/25
Pohl: Well, poets out there, get to work on your poems. This is an opportunity to have your work last for decades in the Lansing area in a public space.
Ruelaine Stokes is the poet laureate of the city of Lansing, and the sponsor of the "We Are Water" Poetry Contest. Always good to see you Ruelaine. Thank you.
Stokes: Great to see you, Scott. Thanks very much.
Pohl: With Inside the Arts, I'm Scott Pohl.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
