City of Orlando Poet Laureate

Shawn Welcome is a long time Orlando resident and University of Central Florida graduate. He has been highly involved in the Orlando community, including facilitating poetic expression since 2006 through "Diverse Word," a weekly poetry night he launched that features local literary artists from across Central Florida. He has traveled the country sharing his gift of poetry, written NBA commercials for the Orlando Magic, and served youth and fellow poets through local nonprofits like Page 15, where he presented a “Slam Camp”.

As the City’s official storyteller, Welcome will present original poems at City events and youth activities to inspire emerging generations of literary artists and poets. He will continue and expand the city’s “Words and Wonders” Poetry Contest initiated by Orlando’s first poet laureate, Susan Lilley. The contest encourages and rewards residents who share their poetic voices.

Shawn Welcome's Poetry

Reasons Why

When we say or you see, “My City Beautiful…”

Have you ever asked why?

Because visitors might say palm trees have voices of their own…

Speak for themselves amidst a cotton candy day sky… And a rainbow lit night sky. Is it also true for you who reside?

Betwixt the magical water rides.

In the cool shadow of the Orlando Eye, Caribbean roots plant well in this soil.

They say “My City Beautiful,” but why?

Because date night at the Robinson. Cocktail vibes.

Goff’s ice-cream still survives… Jeremiah’s, I got to have…

Because Lechonera and Mi Banderas and Reyes on Orange Ave.

At Mamak, I like to meet…

Or maybe it’s me. I like to eat

Roti shops to Seafood Station or Sister Honey’s for a treat.

We welcome the retirees from the North and from the West…

Celebrate arts in the street from Immerse to Fusion Fest…

Because the world comes to us… We don’t seek validity…

Orlando’s way to cool to complain about humidity…

Wet n’ Wild, we’ll never forget ya’

Slide down Bomb Bay, they loosed ya’

We don’t forget

We honor the past while still embracin’ the future

Because innovation is in our veins…

Because Magic…

Because Lions…

Because growth comes with the sound of the SunRail over the iron!

An electrifying city!

Resilience could be a tagline…

Because the long lines to give…

Because our pulse never flatlined!

Because beauty’s beyond visual…

When you feel it, you can’t deny…

So when we say or you see “My City Beautiful…”

Just remember the reasons why.

Contact Shawn

If you are interested in contacting Orlando Poet Laureate, Shawn Welcome, please provide details here on the Poet Laureate Request Form. The form will be sent to Shawn for review, and he will be in touch soon to confirm if he can honor your request or if adjustments need to be made. Please note that Shawn may not be able to accept all requests. Thank you for your interest in the Orlando Poet Laureate Program.

Please follow the Orlando Poet Laureate on Facebook and Instagram to learn about future appearances and events. If you have questions, please contact Marcia Hope Goodwin, Chief Service Officer and Director Office of Community Affairs at communityaffairs@orlando.gov.

Submit a request for our Poet Laureate

Selection Process of the Third Poet Laureate Now Open

The process to select the Third Poet Laureate was developed through a partnership with United Arts of Central Florida. A Poet Laureate Search Committee consisting of distinguished local poets, scholars and literary experts will review applications based on artistic merit of literary work samples, experience and background. Applications will be collected from April 27 - June 30, 2025 on the United Arts Website.

Search Committee

Mayor Buddy Dyer appoints the Poet Laureate Search Committee, a group of diverse poets, scholars and literary experts, to assist in the selection process. The Mayor’s office partners with United Arts of Central Florida will convene and facilitate the selection process. This committee includes representatives from University of Central Florida, Valencia College, Rollins College, Seminole State College, Orange County Library System, Burrow Press, and accomplished local poets, with Orlando’s current Poet Laureate Shawn Welcome serving as an Ex-Officio member.

The search committee will review all eligible applications, which will be scored on a 30-point scale, with up to 20 points for artistic merit of the work samples, and up to 10 points for experience and background. The names of three finalists with committee rankings will be forwarded to Mayor Dyer for final selection. Finalists will be interviewed (in person or via Zoom) in August 2025. The Poet Laureate will be announced in October 2025, during National Arts and Humanities Month.

Learn more about the search committee

Words and Wonders Winners

Words and Wisdom

For this round of our poetry contest, we invite your experiences with wisdom, a rare and often hard-earned quality to be treasured. Where do you find wisdom, and what wisdom would you offer to others?

Summer Edition Winners

Summer is always a time to slow down, look around and rediscover our beautiful surroundings and vibrant community in Central Florida. View the winners of the Summer edition of Words and Wonders.

Fall Edition Winners

Our Fall poetry challenge invited residents to create a poem that reflects the season of gourds and goblins, gratitude and service to others. View the winners of the Fall edition.

Winter Edition Winners

Winter in Central Florida is like no other place on earth. With our magical sunsets and winter-blooming flowers, even a rare cold day is filled with color and promise. View the winners of the Winter edition of Words and Wonders.

Spring Edition Winners

Spring is the season of renewal, hope and just going ahead. View the winning poems that commemorate our long season of spring.

Nature Edition Winners

For this round of our poetry contest for Central Florida wordsmiths, we welcomed poems about our unique natural surroundings. View the winners of the Nature edition of Words and Wonders.

Words and Wonders Music 2022

We challenged poets across Central Florida to submit written and spoken word poetry about music! Music has such a universal appeal and means different things to different people. We loved to see and hear that expressed through our amazing poets and celebrate the creative words and stories that arise out of this incredible community!

Words and Wonders Food Winners

We challenged poets across Central Florida to submit written and spoken word poetry about food! Yes, we eat to survive but there's so much to be said around the experience of food. What words can you make sizzle?! See, hear, and even smell what our winners came up with!

Words and Wonders: City Life vs. Country Life Winners

For this edition of Words and Wonders, we challenged poets to tell us about their preference over city life vs. country life.

Words and Wonders: Service Winners

For this edition of Words and Wonders, we challenged poets to tell us about what does service look like for them.

Words and Flight Winners

For this round of our poetry contest the City of Orlando partnered with the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority to find creative energy around the theme of flight and travel. Winning poems will be displayed at the Orlando International Airport this summer.

Contact Us

Phone

407.246.2500

Email

communityaffairs@orlando.gov

Department or Office

Office of Community Affairs

400 South Orange Avenue

Downtown Orlando

32801

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