Door County’s favorite poet.

I recently had the honor of speaking with one of Door County’s treasures, Barbara Larsen of Sister Bay. I have admired Barbara and her poetry ever since I first heard her read one of her poems at an open mic at the Dickinson Poetry Series. I later attended the Dickinson Poetry Series when Barbara was the featured reader.

She has been inspired by the beauty in nature around her home on a bluff over-looking the Green Bay waters for 30 years. Her journal entries and later poetry have a strong philosophical bent. Poet’s Nest is her eighth book to be published and includes journal entries in her own hand and her rich poetry. She has won a number of awards, including the Wisconsin Regional Writers’ Jade Ring Prize for Excellence in Poetry. Active in the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets for many years, she is also a member of the Wallace Group critiquing circle. She was appointed the Door County Poet Laureate for 2011-2012, where she was tasked with building a larger audience for the appreciation of poetry as well as encouraging area poets through various activities. She has encouraged many poets through her workshops at Bjorklunden and The Clearing, as well as by example.