Shel Silverstein wrote the poem “Poet Tree”, but this Arbor Day one northern Illinois city went a little deeper with this concept.
Two years ago, the City of Aurora assigned its first ever poet laureate and three deputy poet laureates. Those terms are ending, but their legacy will stand for years to come in the form of four Poet-Trees.
Clayton Muhammad, the Chief Communications Officer for the City of Aurora, said the
city took the opportunity to merge the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day and National Poetry Month by planting trees to represent the city’s poet laureate the three deputy poet laurates as well as arborist Bill Chinetti. He said this is for future generations.
“Forty years from now,” Muhammad said, “a kid can come down and say, ‘Oh, I want to learn more about Karen [Fullett]-Christensen or Quentin Johnson.’ This way really helps the legacies live on and that's why the theme of Legacy and Leadership for today.”
Nick Day is a member of the Aurora Tree Board. He said poetry and nature is the perfect combination.
“I mean, honestly, when it comes to nature and art, I think they intertwine," he said. "And so, I think this is a perfect combination to appreciate the arts and the culture as well as nature. To me, they’re one in the same.”
Karen Fullett-Christensen is the city’s poet laureate. She said she appreciates the attention the city has given poetry over the last two years.
“It's just so special to see the city tie a love of nature with a love of the arts,” she said. “To me, this is really moving and a great connection, really a good connection.”
Deputy Poet Laureate Fermina Ponce said she is full of gratitude.
“And I would say that the Arbor is a poem, a poem that you can hug and a poem that you can see underneath.”
Anthony Stanford is also a deputy poet laureate. He said he appreciates that the city has leadership that recognizes poetry and art in every form.
The honorees were given awards right before they picked up shovels to plant their Poet-Trees.
Poet-Tree Grove is located at Stolp Avenue and Benton Street in downtown Aurora.
Application information for the next poet laureate phase will be announced Tuesday.
- Yvonne Boose is a current corps member for Report for America, an initiative of the GroundTruth Project. It's a national service program that places talented journalists in local newsrooms like WNIJ. You can learn more about Report for America at wnij.org.