Door County Pulse Podcast: Mark Turcotte Named Illinois Poet Laureate
Photo by Zoey Duchene
Community News
By Debra Fitzgerald
June 11, 2025
This Interview was originally published on June 11, 2025, by Door County Pulse Podcast.
Last month, celebrated poet and author Mark Turcotte was named the sixth Poet Laureate of Illinois, joining the ranks of literary icons like Carl Sandburg and Gwendolyn Brooks. Even early in his career, Turcotte’s powerful voice was drawing attention, particularly through his books Road Noise (1998) and Exploding Chippewas (2002) – works he published during his decade living in Door County. In this conversation, Debra Fitzgerald speaks with Mark about his journey from the Turtle Mountain Chippewa Reservation in North Dakota to his current role as Poet Laureate. They also reminisce about his years in Door County.
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