This collection presents the work, lives, and thoughts of the state and local poets laureate of Connecticut. The Connecticut Coalition of Poets Laureate, which represents current and emeritus poets laureate, has worked together to produce this volume. Poetry is flourishing in Connecticut. Towns, cities, and other sponsors are naming laureates at an unprecedented rate, as people of all ages and all walks of life turn to poetry for guidance and inspiration. Within these pages one can find sample poems from state and local poets laureate, as well as descriptions of some of their public projects and reflections on poetry. As editor Ginny Lowe Connors says in the book’s introduction, "In today’s world of instant sound bites, poetry is needed more than ever. It encourages us to slow down, observe, reflect, and engage more deeply with the world."