Montana’s New Poet Laureate Allen Morris Jones Reads to Students
Headshot Photo credit: Karen Kenyon
Humanities Montana extends a warm welcome to Montana’s new Poet Laureate, Allen Morris Jones of Bozeman. During his two year tenure (2025-27) Jones plans to travel the state presenting The Montana Story Project for adults and youth. We live surrounded by stories. They shape our lives and tell us who we are, where we come from, and where we might be going. Jones has used storytelling as a foundation for his work across several literary forms, including novels, children’s books, personal essays, and, of course, poetry.
Widely published across genres and forms, Allen Morris Jones is the author of three novels, three children’s books, a highly regarded look at the ethics of hunting, an award-winning collection of poetry, and more than 100 published personal essays, profiles, short stories, and other incidental pieces. His first novel, Last Year’s River, was selected by Barnes and Noble for its Discover Great New Writers program; his second novel, A Bloom of Bones, was recognized as a Montana Book Award honor book. His recent poetry collection, Mumblecusser, was both a High Plains Book Award winner as well as a Montana Book Award honor book. His first children’s book, Montana for Kids, won a Spur Award from the Western Writers of America. With William Kittredge, he edited The Best of Montana’s Short Fiction. He has worked as a magazine editor (Big Sky Journal), as an acquisitions editor (Lyons Press / Globe Pequot Press), small press publisher (Bangtail Press), and as a Communications Director for Montana State University. A graduate of the University of Montana in Missoula and Livingston’s Park High, he currently lives in Bozeman with his wife and teenage son.
Tiny Triumphs by Allen Morris Jones
The fried egg yolk stayed
splendidly intact, shimmering,
despite how I’d cracked it too high
above the pan; my shirt matched
my pants without a plan and the coffee
tasted so good, bitter and rich.
My wife waved me to a stop as I left,
opening the truck door to kiss
me goodbye. The light stayed green
just long enough, and the next song
in the shuffle recalled old friends.
The world wobbles alarmingly
and the news sells tickets to tragedy
but there’s a woman who cares
for me and a child who needs me,
and just now, sitting at my desk,
I have this moment, this improbable
moment. Awareness slops out
over the rim. It’s not only that I am here,
alive and loved, it’s that I am allowed,
for some reason,
to know it
Get to know our new Montana Poet Laureate
Stay tuned for booking opportunities coming in January. Meanwhile, please reach out via email to schedule a visit to your school or community organization: amjones@mcn.net Thank you to the Montana Arts Council for collaborating on this program.
About the Montana Poet Laureate
The post of Montana Poet Laureate, created by the Montana State Legislature in 2005, honors a citizen poet of exceptional talent and accomplishment. Nominations are submitted by citizens and reviewed by a committee of governor-appointed Montana Arts Council members. The Poet Laureate of Montana is then selected by the Governor. Each poet laureate develops a program for his or her term designed to share and support the creation of poetry with the people of Montana, through personal appearances, virtual events, educational outreach, and other venues.
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