Bowers was named by Governor Bev Perdue as the sixth North Carolina Poet Laureate, 2010–2012.

[2] In 1984, Bowers also attended the International Graduate Summer School at Exeter College at the University of Oxford.

[3] She was also the judge for the North Carolina Poetry Society's Poet Laureate Award.

[5] Many of the major events in her life work their way into Bower's poetry, such as being estranged from her father; having a brother die of AIDS, as well as another of drug and alcohol abuse; and having her second husband commit suicide.

She has five collections of poetry published:[2] Bowers' essay "A Moment of Intensity" was featured in Poet’s Market, 2007.