Poet Laureate of Kansas (2017-2019) Kevin Rabas teaches at Emporia State University, where he leads the poetry and playwriting tracks and chairs the Department of English, Modern Languages, and Journalism. He has eleven other books, including Lisa's Flying Electric Piano , a Kansas Notable Book and Nelson Poetry Book Award winner. Rabas's plays have been produced across Kansas and in North Carolina and San Diego. His work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize six times. The 2018 Emporia State Roe R. Cross Professor, he also is the recipient of the Emporia State President's and Liberal Arts & Sciences Awards for Research and Creativity. He is the winner of the Langston Hughes Award for Poetry, the Victor Contoski Poetry Award, the Jerome Johanning Playwriting Award, and the Salina New Voice Award.