Washington and the Northwest Indian College . She has been participating in community events with ecology as a focus , such as the Volunteers of the Endangered Species Coalition and Resources .
Individual poems are featured at , www . Poets . org , Poetry Northwest , Pontoon Poetry , A Dozen Nothing , and elsewhere . Priest has also published nonfiction pieces in High Country News , YES ! Magazine , Seattle Met , Adventures Northwest Magazine , and Nautilus . She was a National Geographic Explorer ( 2018-2020 ) and wrote about the killer whales and the repatriation of a killer whale from Miami to the Lummi Nation . She was a Jack Straw Writer in 2019 .
In a recent project for “ Poem in Your Pocket Day ” in April , Priest created pocket-sized broadsides as a gift from the Washington State Poet Laureate program , to be distributed freely by bookstores and libraries during National Poetry Month and beyond . Priest put out a call for youth poets to send in a short poem or an excerpt . She selected an excerpt by Sadie Olsen for its brevity , and clarity of message . Olsen chose to submit these lines because water is life . The official translation into Xwlemi was approved by fluent speaker , Ted Solomon .
When asked about her favorite authors or poets who might be of interest to Art Chowder readers , Priest said , “ I always flail at this ,” and then launched into a
56 ART CHOWDER MAGAZINE list of enthusiasms including James Tate , Frank O ’ Hara , John Berryman , Layli Long Soldier and Robert Lashley .
Rena ’ s work can be found online The Index by Rena Priest - Poems | Academy of American Poets .
To book an event , schedule an interview or learn more about the Washington State Poet Laureate , go to the website , www . wapoetlaureate . org ( Washington State Poet Laureate ).
renapriest . com