Debra Marquart BEI Emeritus Fellow recently was on Iowa Public Radio- listen here!

Debra Marquart had not originally intended to become an acclaimed poet, a distinguished professor at Iowa State University, or Iowa’s next poet laureate. Marquart instead wanted to be a road musician, singing lead for a rock band and traveling from gig to gig, but life took her on a different path.

In this edition of Talk of Iowa, host Charity Nebbe talks with Marquart about being named the new Iowa Poet Laureate, her life as a road musician before her literary pursuits, and the impact poetry can have on people.

Marquart’s predecessor and Iowa’s third poet laureate, Mary Swander, also joins the conversation.