NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Louisiana is taking nominations for state poet laureate.

John Warner Smith’s two-year term ends in August, and Louisiana’s poets laureate cannot serve two straight terms.

People can send nominations through Feb. 24 to the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities.

The position requires traveling the state for two years, encouraging people to explore and engage with poetry.

Poets must be born in or living in Louisiana, and must have published works in books, anthologies, literary journals or magazines.

A $4,500-a-year stipend is intended to cover travel costs and honoraria.

Past poets laureate include Emma Wilson Emery, Pinkie Gordon Lane, Brenda Marie Osbey, Darrell Bourque, Julie Kane and Jack Bedell.

The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities also seeks input from the literary community. It submits three nominees to the governor, whose choice must be confirmed by the state Senate.

Poets cannot nominate themselves.

Details about the nomination process and requirements can be found on the organization’s website, https://www.leh.org/.