Victoria’s new poet laureates to celebrate, advance literature in the capital city

Victoria has its new poet laureate and youth poet laureate in Marie Metaphor Specht and Irena Datcu-Romano.

The pair of wordsmiths will serve two-year terms in their respective positions, which look to celebrate contributions to literature and poetry in the city. They’ll produce new work and organize a community poetry event each year, while the duo will also find ways to collaborate with and celebrate other local poets.

Specht is a spoken-word poet and multidisciplinary artist who performs at venues ranging from art festivals to slam events.

“Poetry is a way of reaching towards each other; of closing the spaces between us,” Specht said in a news release. “I believe that creativity is our shared human birthright and any artform with an audience is a means to foster connections between people; an opportunity to see and hold each other in our complex histories of joy and suffering.”

“Our communities flourish through intrepid acts of beauty, through the incredible power of stories shared.”

Youth laureate Datcu-Romano is in her second year of a double major at the University of Victoria, where her concentration is in poetry and creative non-fiction. The artist of Romanian heritage is also currently the poetry editor for This Side of West magazine.

“I am excited to serve as the youth poet laureate because I care about accessibility, collaboration, language reclamation and healing,” Datcu-Romano said. “I have a large emotional and literary debt to the youth poetry ecosystem, namely the various workshops and student-run projects that accepted me and my writing. I want other youth poets to know they are each other’s greatest allies and collaborators.”

The laureates, who have both been published many times, will make their first readings in their new roles at the April 27 council meeting, at 6:30 p.m.

Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto said the city is delighted to welcome the new laureates.

“Our city has a storied literary history and we are proud to continue this tradition by amplifying their unique voices,” the mayor said.

READ: Greater Victoria’s first Syrian restaurant opening in Esquimalt