Recently appointed poet laureate of Los Angeles Eloise Klein Healy has canceled all upcoming events and appearances as she “recovers from a medical issue.”

You can read more about Healy’s work at her official site. Red Hen Press issued a brief statement about the poet:

She has been ordered by her doctor to rest for several weeks, and not to receive visitors … Eloise greatly appreciates the support she’s been shown, and looks forward to making a full recovery and resuming her duties. Thank you for respecting her need for rest and privacy at this time.

Read more

Eloise Klein Healy has been named the first Poet Laureate of Los Angeles.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa created a selection committee and named Dana Gioia chairperson. The group also includes novelist Carolyn See and poets William Archila, Kate Gale, Douglas Kearney and Amy Uyematsu.

Here’s more from Jacket Copy: “The post, funded by the city’s Department of Cultural Affairs, is the brainchild of [Mayor Antonio] Villaraigosa. Most U.S. states have poet laureates, as do many cities, large and small, including Boston, Santa Fe, N.M.; San Francisco and Santa Barbara. Gioia said the committee began by brainstorming a wish list of 11 candidates they wanted to see in the mix. All but one of those poets were among the 40 people who were nominated or applied, he said.”