In 1981 Peggy Simson Curry was named Wyoming's first poet laureate by Governor Ed Herschler. Curry was an author and a passionate educator. She led a program called Poetry-in-the-Schools and taught her students that "writing is love."
When she was named poet laureate, Curry was supposed to read some of her poetry but she froze up. Her friend and fellow poet Charles Levendosk read her poem "Jack Patton" about a man she loathed but grew to respect.
Curry had never been afraid of anger in her work. In fourth grade, she wrote her first poem. It was called "I Hate School."
Like many cowboy poets, Curry loved the west. She felt a deep connection to the landscape. It was a common topic of her work.
Visit UW's American Heritage Center to read the manuscript and drafts of a hard to find Peggy Simson Curry book, The Oil Patch.