Ellen Waterston at Western Oregon University
Write Place welcomed Oregon Poet Laureate Ellen Waterston to read and discuss her work on April 30, 2026, at WOU’s Werner Center.
WOU president, Jesse Peters, introduced Professor Waterston and emphasized the “vital importance of poetry and literature in our daily lives.” Oregon State Senator Deb Patterson also spoke, championing the role of Oregon’s poet laureate. “Ellen Waterston travels all over the state, bringing poetry and writing workshops to people of all ages—this is so good for the cultural health of our communities.” Patterson went on to praise Waterston for “tirelessly promoting environmental awareness when we need it most.”
A poet, essayist, and renowned educator, Waterston also guest-taught during her time at WOU. Stephen Hantzmon, a math major who enjoys writing classes, said “It was great to hear Waterston talk about her memoirs from Where the Crooked River Rises.” Hantzmon explained that “having grown up in rural Oregon, her work really hit home. She does a great job of describing the challenges, rewards and surprisingly complicated attitudes of people living close to the land.”
After reading Waterston’s new collection of poems, As Far As I Can Anthem, English major, Angela “Bear” Hage, said her “favorite poem was ‘Urban Coyote.’” “The speaker connects in an honest and humorous way with a wild animal that must adapt to suburban life. The poet and the coyote surrender some of their freedom but still flourish.” Hage, a prize-winning student writer at WOU, added that “we could learn a lot from Ellen Waterston’s perspective on nature.”
About Ellen Waterston
High desert author, poet and columnist Ellen Waterston has published five poetry and four literary nonfiction titles, including, most recently, As Far as I Can Anthem, Poems (2026), We Could Die Doing This (2024), and Walking the High Desert (2020). In 2024, she was appointed the eleventh Oregon Poet Laureate and awarded both the Stewart H. Holbrook and Soapstone Bread and Roses awards recognizing her work as an author and advocate for the literary arts. Waterston’s awards and recognitions include the WILLA in both nonfiction and poetry, Foreword finalist in literary nonfiction, the Obsidian Prize in Poetry, an honorary Ph.D. in Humane Letters from Oregon State University Cascades and individual artist fellowships from Diderot, Fishtrap and the Oregon Arts Commission. Her poems and essays have appeared in numerous journals and anthologies. She is founder of the Writing Ranch which, since 2000, has conducted workshops for established and emerging writers, and of the annual Waterston Desert Writing Prize, established in 2015 and adopted in 2019 as a program of the High Desert Museum.
