The Metropolitan Library System is proud to announce its inaugural Metro Library Poet Laureate: Hallie Waugh.

This new, paid opportunity recognizes and supports a local poet who will serve as the library’s ambassador for poetry. As Poet Laureate, Waugh will promote the art form across the metro area through public programming, community outreach, and literary events. In partnership with library staff, she will lead poetry-focused initiatives designed to inspire readers and writers of all ages.

Waugh’s writing explores the intersection of embodiment, spirituality, and connection to place. She holds an MFA in Poetry, and her work has appeared or is forthcoming in publications such as “New York Quarterly,” “Windhover,” “Dappled Things,” “Mom Egg Review,” “Motherwell” and “Ekstasis,” among others. A seasoned educator, Waugh has taught poetry at the collegiate level and is passionate about making poetry an accessible part of everyday life.

“I am honored, and so pleasantly surprised, to be the inaugural Poet Laureate for the Metropolitan Library System,” Waugh said.

In addition to her poetry, Waugh works as a copywriter, nonprofit grant writer, and brand strategist with the local agency Cooper House. She lives in Oklahoma City with her high school sweetheart, their two young sons, and a lively Boxer mix. A regular at both the Belle Isle Library and Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library, she is often spotted with her children and an ambitious stack of books.

Waugh also publishes a twice-monthly Substack newsletter titled Weekend Exhale (halliewaugh.substack.com), where she shares poetry and personal reflections.

In her work, Waugh draws inspiration from the idea that language itself is inherently poetic.

In his essay “The Poet,” Ralph Waldo Emerson writes, “every word was once a poem,” — a sentiment Waugh deeply connects with.

“I'm a firm believer that the forces of metaphor and verse possess a primal, instinctive sort of wisdom that can help us navigate complex times with nuance and curiosity,” Waugh said. “I'm not sure we've ever needed those two qualities more than in our current moment.”

The Poet Laureate program is part of Metro Library’s broader mission to foster creative expression and meaningful dialogue through the arts. Plans include in-library programming and writing exercises, along with other poetry programming in November. Waugh will be joining the Society of Urban Poets at their meeting on November 17 at Ralph Ellison Library.  

“During my time in this role, I sincerely hope to celebrate and extend Oklahoma's rich poetic culture, which is growing by the day,” Waugh said. “Here's to more poetry and the embodied awe it can gift to us."

The Metropolitan Library System looks forward to all that Hallie Waugh will bring to this role and the ways poetry will flourish in our community under her leadership.