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A lyric heart: Santa Fe Poet Laureate Tommy Archuleta strives to 'bring the community together through words'
Before the sun rises over the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, Tommy Archuleta has already been putting pen to paper for hours.
The practice is akin to meditation for the native Santa Fean.
A lyric heart: Santa Fe Poet Laureate Tommy Archuleta strives to 'bring the community together through words'
Each morning, Archuleta takes the words that swirl around in his head and intricately weaves them together in prose.
He takes inspiration from rural life in Cochiti Pueblo 鈥� with little to no light pollution and the sounds of coyotes and bobcats.
鈥淚t gets me writing,鈥� he says of his home. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just me and Pop, and he will be 91 at the end of April.鈥�
Archuleta was named poet laureate for the City of Santa Fe in January.
鈥淟ucky No. 7,鈥� he quips. 鈥淚 am honored to represent the city I was born and raised in. It鈥檚 a position I take very seriously.鈥�
Since taking the role, Archuleta has hit the ground running, participating in community events.
As April is National Poetry Month, he is pushing forward with enriching lives through poetry.
Launched by the Academy of American Poets in April 1996, National Poetry Month is a special occasion that celebrates poets鈥� integral role in our culture and that poetry matters.
Over the years, it has become the largest literary celebration in the world, with tens of millions of readers, students, K鈥�12 teachers, librarians, booksellers, literary events curators, publishers, families and 鈥� of course 鈥� poets, marking poetry鈥檚 important place in our lives.
鈥淚鈥檓 not an academic poet,鈥� Archuleta says. 鈥淭he way I teach is very different.鈥�
Archuleta鈥檚 day job is mental health and addiction counselor for the New Mexico Corrections Department.
鈥淥ne of the things I鈥檝e found in my own life and with clients is that using a creative approach is a way for people to connect,鈥� he says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a way for people to heal from trauma. A good piece of the laureateship is community involvement.鈥�
Archuleta hasn鈥檛 been publishing poetry his whole life.
Most of it was spent living in the Bay Area while he played drums in a band.
鈥淚 wrote lyrics,鈥� he says. 鈥淲riting lyrics for songs is pretty much a sister to poetry.鈥�
He began to get serious with poetry in 2004.
It was then he got accepted to the College of Santa Fe with a full ride.
While in college, he met his mentor, Dana Levin, and was part of the last graduating class in 2009.
鈥淛oy Harjo was the esteemed chair,鈥� he says.
After getting his degree, he then said yes to the Master of Fine Arts poetry program at the University of New Mexico 鈥� which deepened his commitment to the medium.
Arriving back in New Mexico in 2013, he began taking care of his mother who was diagnosed with congestive heart failure.
The experience served as the basis for 鈥淪usto鈥� 鈥� his first full-length collection of poetry, which was published by University Press of Colorado in 2023.
Lily Poetry Review published his chapbook 鈥淔ieldnotes鈥� the same year.
Away from writing, Archuleta took his talents to New Mexico Highlands University to get a master鈥檚 degree in counseling.
He recognizes that poetry is what contributed to his sobriety journey.
鈥淚鈥檓 very fortunate and a lot changed with my recovery,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檓 pretty open about that in the event that I might be able to help someone that has questions. I would prefer that people know about my journey with sobriety.鈥�
Archuleta worked on the front lines during the opioid epidemic in 2016-18.
He鈥檚 been working with substance abuse for 15 years and been on both sides.
鈥淚n my drinking days, I served some jail time,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檝e seen some really low lows and I know the work it takes to overcome all of them despite the world looking at you in a different way.鈥�
The poet laureate is a two-year term and the recipient receives a $12,000 stipend during the tenure.
According to the City of Santa Fe Arts and Culture Department, the poet laureate is an ambassador of the art form, literature, literacy and storytelling, and works to inspire the next generation of poets and their readers.
During his term, Archuleta will read original poems at ceremonial events, such as the mayoral inauguration, the City Councilors鈥� swearing-in, the Mayor鈥檚 Arts Awards, community days, and public building and/or art dedications.
He will also champion the art of poetry and the spoken word in the city in person and on social media and encourage appreciation of the art form and creative expression by a wide range of city residents, including youth.
One of his projects is to bring poetry to the New Mexico State Penitentiary.
鈥淚鈥檓 working with my Level 2 guys,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e opening it up to Level 4 and Level 5. Our supermax facility Level 6 has been under construction.鈥�
Archuleta is also giving the proceeds from 鈥淔ieldnotes鈥� to Esperanza Shelter in Santa Fe.
He says his projects are about motivating people to read poetry in different places.
鈥淟ike the State Capitol steps or in an elevator or an emergency room lobby,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to offer projects that other laureates haven鈥檛 done.鈥�
Archuleta says his decision to apply for poet laureate is one he doesn鈥檛 regret.
鈥淚 wanted to see a poet laureate that is from Santa Fe,鈥� he says. 鈥淢y primary goal is to bring the community together through words. Each one is powerful.鈥�
