Governor makes second pick for poet laureate

CONCORD, N.H. (AP) - Gov. Chris Sununu has made another pick for New Hampshire’s poet laureate, a few months after he abandoned his last choice following growing criticism of the man’s work and how he was selected.

Sununu nominated Alexandria Peary, of Londonderry, to be the next poet laureate at Wednesday’s Executive Council meeting. She’s written six books, including “Control Bird Alt Delete.” Her newest book, “The Water Draft,” is to be published this month. She is a professor and writing coordinator at Salem State University.

“I am confident Alexandria will do a great job as Poet Laureate,” Sununu said in a statement.

The five-member council would need to confirm Peary. It’s expected to vote on her on Oct. 23.

Though he never formally nominated him, Sununu initially chose Daniel Thomas Moran, a retired dentist and former poet laureate of Suffolk County, New York, whom some said wasn’t qualified. The surfacing of a sexually suggestive poem Moran wrote about former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice only intensified the criticism.

In June, amid growing concerns, Sununu met with members of the New Hampshire Poetry Society and asked for additional material on alternative candidates. He withdrew his decision on Moran after an excerpt of the poem referencing Rice was published in a Slate.com article in July.

Moran later said that the 2005 poem is the “imagined musings of an adolescent crush.” He said the idea that the poem is “sexually laced or misogynistic is nothing less than silly .”

Don Kimball, president of the poetry society, said in a statement the group is “happy, at long last, to have a very well qualified poet to serve as our Poet Laureate.”

“Alexandria Peary will bring long administrative, academic and creative achievements to this honored post and we look forward to working with her.”

Peary said in all of her career, “I have been committed to helping others advance their writing and achieve success. I look forward to developing a range of programs and initiatives for individuals across the state.”