By Nick Walters and Christopher McCurry

The state capital hosted approximately 225 people Friday morning to celebrate Kentucky Writers’ Day and to witness the Poet Laureate Induction Ceremony.

Kentucky Writer’s Day was established in 1990 by the state general assembly. The occasion honors Kentucky’s strong literary tradition and recognizes the birthday of the country’s first poet laureate, a Kentucky native, Robert Penn Warren.

People gathered at the Capitol Rotunda in Frankfort for the events. Space was limited so people leaned against the walls, sat on the steps and stood in the balconies to have a view of the ceremony.The ceremony consisted of the recognition of Al Smith Fellowship recipients, recitations of poems by Kentucky’s Poetry Out Loud competition winners and readings by former poet laureates, all of which led up to the induction of the new poet laureate, UK’s Gurney Norman.

The honor was passed from another UK faculty member, Jane Gentry Vance. In her speech, Vance discussed her travels throughout Kentucky and commented on the people who help to make the state a culturally rich place in which to live.

“Teachers, librarians and museum directors are the real soul makers,” Vance said. “Kentucky has a rich tradition of writing, it reflects a deep soul as a place, not all places have a soul, so we should honor it.”

After Vance’s speech, Norman accepted his new position and spoke about the state’s cultural diversity.

“I thought my best move would be to read Jane’s Vance’s speech from two years ago,” Norman said, starting his speech.

Norman also spoke on the power of language, the uniqueness of Kentucky’s writing tradition and his plans as poet laureate.

Along with promoting literary arts in Kentucky, Norman is looking to the future. He said as Kentucky grows, and its story unfolds, more languages and cultures will influence the writing. He expressed enthusiasm about the future possibility of a book of poetry about Kentucky being written in Spanish.

Tom Marksbury, an English lecturer at UK, described Norman as an ambassador.

“If ever there was an ambassador for literature in Kentucky, it would be Gurney Norman, and I am happy for him and proud for the state,” he said.