Montana’s Poet Laureate Chris La Tray on the 'Importance of Storytelling'

The Great Falls Public Library, in conjunction with Humanities Montana, is thrilled to announce the 2024 Winter Speaker Series. The series is dedicated to the storytellers of Montana who connect us to the world, to our land, and to our people.
Montana's Poet Laureate Chris La Tray approaches the practice of poetry the same as he does the spiritual life of an Anishinaabe person: which is to say, if one lives an Anishinaabe life, with particular attention to the seven guiding principles of the Seven Grandfather teachings Humility, Courage, Honesty, Wisdom, Truth, Respect, and Love then every footstep becomes a prayer. Similarly, if one approaches poetry in a similar fashion, recognizing that everything that happens may be viewed as a poem, and that every moment in life is an experience best paid constant and careful attention to, then every footstep becomes a poem. La Tray’s programs exist to remind people that their stories matter, that they are the only ones who can properly tell them, and that poetry, however it is defined, is a beautiful means for doing so.