The Poetry of Community
By Nicole Troy
For English Department lecturer Caleb Nichols (M.A., English, '20), the arts are more than a passion — they’re a purpose.
Nichols’ life has always orbited creative spaces, from securing a record deal and touring with the indie rock band Port O’Brien in his 20s to earning a PhD in Creative and Critical Writing from Bangor University in North Wales. Now, as San Luis Obispo County’s 2025-27 poet laureate, he’s working to foster a local network of literary artists to find community.
“I don’t see the arts as a luxury — they’re why we exist. And my focus as poet laureate is really on what I perceive as this community with a lot of readers and writers and creating spaces where we can connect them,” Nichols said.
Nichols performing at
Kazamier Stockroom, Liverpool, UK.
That sense of connection didn’t always seem within reach for Nichols, whose path to poetry was anything but straightforward. As he dropped out of high school in the 90s and later toured the world as a musician, his journey wove together unexpected places and experiences before ultimately leading back to California, where he earned a Master of Library Science degree from San Jose State University.
“I did my own musical things in the Bay Area for a few years after Port O’Brien, and then at the end of a six-year period, I was like, ‘Okay, I need to take a break from this,’” Nichols said. “I went back and did my library degree, and then worked in public libraries for a few years, including in New York, Georgia and then in San Luis Obispo at the Kennedy Library.”
And it was there that he stumbled upon yet another degree: a Master of English Literature.
“As a library staff person, I had my eye on becoming a library faculty member and you need a dual degree to do that. Getting another degree was meant to tick a box and I ended up choosing English because my friend happened to be in the program and convinced me to do it with them,” Nichols said.
The decision to join the program set Nichols onto a path he never envisioned.
“John Hampsey's British Romantics class changed my life,” Nichols said. “He's an amazing teacher and I had a series of moments in his classes that showed me the potential of what studying literature could do and how education can transform you. Those experiences then led me to many places, people and experiences. All of which have made my life have a level of meaning that I didn't know was possible.”
With a reinvigorated passion for creative writing, Nichols took a leap across the pond to pursue his PhD in North Wales. His time abroad shaped his view of the states and connected him with a variety of international poets and artists.
“I think one thing I've discovered in my own poetic life is the importance of actually traveling and going abroad and seeing the world from different perspectives,” Nichols said. “Poetically, there are different things happening on different continents and in different cultures. As poet laureate, the thing I'm most excited about is hosting poets from beyond the borders of San Luis Obispo County.”
Caleb Nichols
(Photo Credit: Deborah Denker)
Through his tenure, he hopes to continue hosting pop-up events through his nonprofit, the SLO Book Bike, host new workshops with local poets, and bridge local and global perspectives by inviting speakers from the United Kingdom for readings and seminars.
“I think in the past poet laureates have been really focused on things like poets in the schools, but my focus is quite different and is really on fostering this community,” Nichols said.
From hosting office hours for local poets to spotlighting local and international voices, Nichols hopes to transform San Luis Obispo into a hub that showcases the creative community that thrives here. And Nichols’ kickoff event as poet laureate will do just that.
SLO County Arts will host a free, inaugural reading on Friday, Jan. 24 featuring Nichols, ethnic studies Assistant Professor MT Vallarta, English Professor Emeritus Kevin Clark and California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick at the Octagon Barn in San Luis Obispo.
“This kickoff event will celebrate the work of poets residing in the state and county and poetry’s potential to inspire, connect and spark change,” Nichols said. “We hope to see you there!”