“Poetry in the Public Square: My New Role as Poet Laureate”

I’m honored to share some truly meaningful news. I have been named the inaugural Poet Laureate for Defense of Democracy, a national nonprofit dedicated to preserving civil liberties, combating extremism, and defending the democratic values that shape who we are as a nation.

This appointment is more than a title. It’s a call to use language not just to reflect the times, but to challenge them. To stir memory, awaken courage, and invite all of us to imagine what justice, equity, and freedom truly look like when practiced aloud.

Poetry has always been my tool of witness and resistance, of healing and rebirth. From Thumbs Up at Arlington to Oh, America, my work is rooted in love of country—but not blind allegiance. It seeks to remind us that democracy is a verb. It lives or dies by the stories we dare to tell, the truths we refuse to bury, and the communities we choose to build.

As Poet Laureate, I will lend my voice to the soul of this movement, with readings, public events, digital storytelling, and podcast interviews featuring other powerful voices of conscience. Our words must rise now, like lanterns in the dark.

You can follow this new journey along with upcoming projects and events here at SirAddisonWitt.com, or visit defenseofdemocracy.org to learn more about this important work.

To those who have followed my poetry, to those just discovering it now: thank you. Let’s stand together. Let’s speak the truth. Let’s make language matter.