By: Brenda Archer, City of Davis
The City of Davis is pleased to announce that Mercedes Ibáñez was selected as the City’s sixth poet laureate on Sept. 17 (ratified by Council) and will be formally inducted as poet laureate during the City Council meeting on Oct. 15. Her term will run from October 2024 through September 2027.
Mercedes Ibáñez was born in Perú and has lived in Davis since 1976.
A mother of two daughters and a grandmother of four, Ibáñez is an active Davis community member, having volunteered at numerous local organizations such as the Mondavi Center for the Arts and the Yolo County Library.
The author of five books of poetry, Ibáñez won the National Award in Literature (Perú) in 1971 and her translation of Ezra Pound’s “Hugh Selwyn Mauberley” was published in 1973. She recently published a poetry book, Poems from the Roof, recounting her time at local poetry night readings.
“I look forward to being the City’s poet laureate and enriching poetry interests by finding activities that bring out poetry in everyone,” said Ibáñez. “Poetry is a way to educate, to entertain and to uplift. There are wonderful poets in Davis and maybe more will join us! As a poet laureate, I will have a great opportunity to help make this happen.”
“We welcome Ms. Ibáñez, an accomplished poet and playwright, as the City’s new poet laureate,” said Mayor Josh Chapman. “Poetry adds a reflective dimension to City events, communicating important messages and emotions like no other art form.”
Ibáñez was selected for recommendation by a review committee consisting of members of the former Civic Arts Commission and the general public. Following is a poem that was shared as part of her nomination.
Bay Area Mindset from Amtrak
Palm trees with a high skirt of
Old dried up branches.Ducks unaware of the immensity
Of the sea beyond the bay.A crane leftover
From a long gone business
Partially submerged in the waters.Everything in a state
Of dismantlement.The train trucks are zippers that
Open an isolation of people
Barely covered by the graffiti.Lots of undetermined clouds
Between the bridges.At what time will I arrive
As I try to forget where I am.
The poet laureate position, established by the Davis City Council in 2009, is a liaison, advocate and leader who is tasked with leveraging their artistic excellence and literary achievements to inspire the diverse residents of the Davis community to read, write, perform and appreciate the written and spoken word.
This honorary, three-year position celebrates the art of poetry and its impact on the Davis community.
Duties of the poet laureate include representing the City of Davis and the art of poetry through outreach activities, presenting original works of poetry at official City events throughout the year, writing and submitting poetry about Davis for publication, presenting and discussing poetry at community events, in schools or with community groups, and acting as a resource for poetry and literary activities in Davis.
Allegra Silberstein held the position from 2010 through 2012, Eve West Bessier from 2012-2014, Dr. Andy Jones from 2014-2018, James Lee Jobe from 2018-2021 and Julia Levine from 2021-2024.
For more information about the poet laureate program, contact Rachel Hartsough at rhartsough@cityofdavis.org.
