Gwen Zepeda, Houston's 2013-2015 poet laureate, at the U.S. Hispanic Literary Heritage Conference XV in February 2020. HOUSTON – The Mayor’s Office and the Office of Cultural Affairs is looking for the next poet laureate to celebrate Houston’s culture and diversity through literature. Serving as the city’s ambassador for literary arts, the goal for the Poet Laureate is to represent Houston by creating excitement about poetry through outreach, programs, teaching, and written work, the Office of Cultural Affairs said. Poet laureates will serve a two-year term and the current term will begin in April. The serving poet laureate will receive a total honorarium of $20,000 over the two-year term, the city said on the website.