Susan McMillan, Rochester Poet Laureate - 8:20 PM - Susan McMillan is a lifelong poet who has lived, worked, and volunteered in the Rochester area for more than 40 years. She was appointed Rochester’s second Poet Laureate by Mayor Kim Norton in April, 2019.

Susan finds inspiration in the people around her as well as in the natural world. She prefers being outdoors where she likes to garden, bicycle, hike, canoe, snowshoe, and cross-country ski.

Susan’s poetry has been widely published in local and regional publications, including Oakwood literary journal, The Talking Stick, The Moccasin, Green Blade, and Rochester Post Bulletin. Her poem, “Wicked Child”, was included in Upon Waking: 58 Voices Speak Out From the Shadows.

Her work has been part of the Red Wing Arts Poet-Artist Collaborations, Crossings Poet-Artist Collaborations, Cracked Walnut traveling literary reading series, and the Minnesota Voices program. Among the recognitions she has received for her work, she is delighted to hold a regional award from last year’s Maria W. Faust Sonnet Contest in Winona.

Most recently, Susan helped create Bright Light Stories in the Night, an illustrated poetry e-chapbook of work by poets and artists from southeast Minnesota, which was read in a virtual program by Rochester area celebrities.

Susan believes that poetry is for everyone, and her greatest joy is inspiring poetry in others. She has led workshops as well as helped develop community poetry programs and projects through RCTC’s Learning Is Forever program, UMR Connects, and the Rochester Public Library. She is a long-time member of the League of Minnesota Poets and a founding member of Southeastern Minnesota Poets of Rochester.