Mery Smith is a poet and storyteller living in Spokane, Washington.  She won the poet laureate seat through an application process last December.  She’s been featured in Northwest poetry anthologies and is the author of one chapbook, “Crumbs”.   Mery is a single mother of four boys and has struggled with alcoholism and recovery.  Through her ordeals, words brought her solace.  Because of her experiences with alcoholism and recovery, Smith’s biggest goal as poet laureate is to help others heal the same way she did: through the power of words and community.  She says, “I want to bring poetry to places and spaces that we wouldn’t normally consider poetic.”