Chris Cook reads his original poem "The Great Horned Owl"

Chris Cook was named Spokane’s Poet Laureate in 2019 and served until 2021. His first collection of poetry, The View from the Broken Mic, was published in 2012 (Gray Dog Press); his latest collection, Damn Good Cookie, was released in 2016 by Korrektiv Press. Other works have been published by Sage Hill Press, Scablands Books, and The Spokesman-Review. His children’s poetry has been published by Little, Brown Books, Meadowbrook Press, and Scholastic Press. Chris is currently the second trumpet with the Spokane Symphony, and he is also a two-time Washington yo-yo champion.