Poetry in motion: Bozeman's Allen Morris Jones ready to roll as Montana Poet Laureate

For Bozeman-based writer and publisher Allen Morris Jones, poetry has always been a personal and private retreat.

“Poetry isn’t something that you start out writing because you expect to get attention from it,” Jones said. “It’s one of the redeeming virtues of poetry. There’s no financial incentive for it. You’re not doing it for any other reason, you’re doing it for yourself, and because you find solace in it.”

Jones now has one more reason for solace: At the end of September, he was announced as Montana’s 2025-27 Poet Laureate.

The Poet Laureate program was created in 2005 by the Montana Legislature. Nominations are submitted by citizens and reviewed by Montana Arts Council. From there, the poet is selected by the governor.

Jones said his appointment has been both gratifying and surr