Bozeman Writer Allen Morris Jones Named Montana Poet Laureate

HELENA — Governor Greg Gianforte has named Allen Morris Jones of Bozeman as Montana’s Poet Laureate for 2025–2027, the Montana Arts Council announced last Thursday.

Jones, who has spent 30 years in writing and publishing, brings both literary acclaim and business experience to the role. His most recent poetry collection, “Mumblecusser,” won the High Plains Book Award in 2023 and earned recognition as a Montana Book Awards honor book.

“I’ve watched as some of the finest writers in the country have sat in this laureate chair and advocated for poetry and literature even while shaping the public dialogue,” Jones said. “I’m grateful that I now have the opportunity to continue their work.”

As owner and publisher of Bangtail Press, Jones has championed Montana writers including Paul Zarzyski, Rick DeMarinis, Aaron Parrett, and Russell Rowland. He previously served as an acquiring editor for Globe Pequot Press/The Lyons Press and as editor of Big Sky Journal.

Jones’s literary portfolio spans multiple genres. His novels “Last Year’s River” and “A Bloom of Bones” received critical acclaim, while his children’s book “Montana for Kids” earned a Spur Award from the Western Writers of America. He has published more than 100 poems, essays, profiles, and short stories throughout his career.

The new laureate emphasized Montana’s rich poetic tradition. “Going back at least to Richard Hugo, our writers have taught us how to see the landscape and our history, and helped us understand our place in both,” he said.

Jones succeeds Métis poet and storyteller Chris La Tray, who served as poet laureate for the past two years. La Tray, author of the award-winning memoir “Becoming Little Shell,” focused his tenure on heritage, Indigenous languages, and land stewardship through thousands of miles of speaking engagements across the state.

The Montana Poet Laureate position, established by the legislature in 2005, honors poets of exceptional talent and accomplishment. Nominations are reviewed by a committee of Arts Council members before the governor makes the final selection.

Each poet laureate develops programming during their term to share and support poetry creation with Montanans through personal appearances, virtual events, and educational outreach.

Previous laureates include Mark Gibbons, Mandy Smoker Broaddus, and Melissa Kwasny, who Jones credited with shaping public dialogue while advocating for literature and poetry.