List of municipal poets laureate in Massachusetts

This is a list of past and current municipal poets laureate serving towns, counties, and cities in Massachusetts. The state of Massachusetts does not have a poet laureate program.[1][2]

Amesbury

  • Lainie Senechal – 2016–2017[3]
  • Stephen R Wagner – 2018–2019[3]
  • Ellie O'Leary – 2020–2023[3]
  • Lisa Usani Phillips – 2024–2025[4]

Arlington

  • Miriam Levine - 2015–2017[5]
  • Cathie DesJardins - 2017–2019[6]
  • Steven Ratiner - 2019–2021[7]
  • Jean Flanagan - 2023–2025[8]

Attleboro

  • Briana Serradas – 2022– [4]

Boston

  • Samuel James Cornish – 2008–2014[9]
  • Danielle Legros Georges - 2014–2019[10]
  • Porsha Olayiwola - 2019– [11]

Brockton

  • Philip Hasouris – 2021– [4]

Haverhill

  • Dan Speers - 2022– [12]

Martha's Vineyard

  • Lee H. McCormack - 2012-2014[13]
  • Arnie Reisman - 2014-2016[14]
  • Justen Ahren – 2017–2019[15]
  • Jill Jupen – 2019–2024[16]
  • Claudia Taylor – 2024–2026[17]

West Tisbury

  • Dan Waters – 2006–2009[18]
  • Fan Ogilvie – 2009–2012[18]
  • Justen Ahren – 2012–2015[18]
  • Emma Young – 2015–2018[18]
  • Spencer Thurlow – 2018–2022[18]
  • Tain Leonard-Peck – 2022–2025[18]

Medford

  • Terry E. Carter – 2021-2023[19]
  • Vijaya Sundaram – 2023– [4]

New Bedford

  • Everett Hoagland - 1994-1998[20]
  • John Landry - 2007–2010[21]
  • Patricia Gomes - 2014-2021[22]
  • Sarah Mulvey - 2022– [23]

Northampton

  • Martin Espada – 2001-2003[24]
  • Janet Aalfs - 2003-2005[25]
  • Jack Gilbert – 2006–2008[26]
  • Lesléa Newman – 2008–2010[27]
  • Lenelle Moïse – 2010–2012[28]
  • Richard Michelson – 2012–2015[29]
  • Patrick Donnelly - 2015-2017[25]
  • Amy Dryansky – 2017–2019[30]
  • Karen Skolfield – 2019–2022[31]
  • Franny Choi – 2024–2026[4]

Plymouth

  • Stephan Delbos – 2020– [32]

Rockport

  • Sharon Chace – 2017– [33]
  • Robert Whelan – 2022-2025[34]

Somerville

  • Nicole Terez Dutton – 2015–2016[35]
  • Gloria Mindock – 2017–2018[36]
  • Lloyd Schwartz – 2019–2024[37]

Springfield

Westwood

  • Lynne Viti - 2023-2025[39]

Worcester

  • Juan Matos – 2020–2022[40][41]
  • Oliver de la Paz – 2023–2025[4]

References

  1. ^ Fox, Jeremy C. (December 4, 2014), "Bill would create first official Massachusetts poet laureate", Boston Globe, retrieved July 31, 2022
  2. ^ "Massachusetts", State Poets, Library of Congress, retrieved July 31, 2022
  3. ^ a b c Sullivan, Jim (2020-01-03). "Ellie O'Leary is Amesbury's third poet laureate". The Daily News of Newburyport. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "Massachusetts". Academy of American Poets. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  5. ^ "Minutes of Arlington Poet Laureate Committee Meeting". Town Of Arlington, MA Website. 2015-07-02. Retrieved 2021-04-02. We chose Miriam Levine to be the first Poet Laureate of Arlington.
  6. ^ "Getting To Know Cathie Desjardins And Her New Book, Buddha In The Garden — Mass Poetry". Retrieved 2023-04-12.
  7. ^ "Meet Steven Ratiner, Arlingtons's Poet Laureate — Mass Poetry". Retrieved 2023-04-12.
  8. ^ "Arts Arlington Arlington Selects New Poet Laureate". Retrieved 2023-04-12.
  9. ^ "Passing the time with Boston Poet Laureate Sam Cornish". The Somerville Times. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  10. ^ Glatter, Hayley (2018-06-27). "I Love My Job: Boston Poet Laureate Danielle Legros Georges". Boston Magazine. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  11. ^ "Meet Porsha Olayiwola, Boston's new poet laureate - the Boston Globe". The Boston Globe.
  12. ^ "City of Haverhill Names Civic Leader, Author, Inventor and Poet Dan Speers as Poet Laureate".
  13. ^ Times, The Martha's Vineyard (15 April 2020). "Former Martha's Vineyard Poet Laureate Lee H. McCormack has died". Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  14. ^ Shea, Jack (1 October 2014). "Arnie Reisman dubbed Poet Laureate of Martha's Vineyard". Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  15. ^ "Reception for new poet laureate, Jill Jupen". The Martha's Vineyard Times. 2019-04-03. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  16. ^ Dowd, Brian (2019-03-12). "Jill Jupen named poet laureate of Martha's Vineyard". The Martha's Vineyard Times. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  17. ^ "Vineyard Poet Laureate Selected". The Vineyard Gazette - Martha's Vineyard News. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  18. ^ a b c d e f "West Tisbury Poet Laureate | West Tisbury Public Library". Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  19. ^ "Poet Laureate - City of Medford". www.medfordma.org. 2023-07-26. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  20. ^ "Everett Hoagland - UUA.org". Retrieved October 19, 2022.
  21. ^ "John Landry: New Bedford's newest poet laureate". Claire T. Carney Library news. University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. 10 April 2007. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  22. ^ Silvia, Michael (28 April 2014). "Patricia Gomes Named New Bedford Poet Laureate". New Bedford Guide. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  23. ^ Chitwood, Seth (26 July 2022). "New Bedford's poet laureate — one of only 6 in MA — is reshaping how people think of poetry". SoutchCoast Today. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  24. ^ "Martin Espada". Northampton Arts Council. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  25. ^ a b "Poet Laureate". Northampton Arts Council. Retrieved July 31, 2022.
  26. ^ "Jack Gilbert". Northampton Arts Council. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  27. ^ "Lesléa Newman". Northampton Arts Council. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  28. ^ "Lenelle Moïse". Northampton Arts Council. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  29. ^ "Richard Michelson". Northampton Arts Council. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  30. ^ "Amy Dryansky". Northampton Arts Council. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  31. ^ "Meet Karen Skolfield, Northampton's Poet Laureate — Mass Poetry". Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  32. ^ "Stephan Delbos, first Poet Laureate in Plymouth, Massachusetts". Made in Plymouth. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  33. ^ "Sharon Chace's poetry". Gloucester Daily Times. 2017-11-17. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  34. ^ Hagan, Stephen (2024-04-18). "Rockport author pens book on children's poems". Gloucester Daily Times. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  35. ^ "Nicole Terez Dutton 2015 & 16". somervilleartscouncil.org. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  36. ^ "Gloria Mindock 2017 & 18". somervilleartscouncil.org. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  37. ^ "Lloyd Schwartz". Poets & Writers. 1981-05-28. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  38. ^ a b "Meet Magdalena Gómez, Springfield's Poet Laureate — Mass Poetry". Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  39. ^ "Westwood Poet Laureate | Town of Westwood, MA". www.townhall.westwood.ma.us. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  40. ^ "City of Worcester Announces Oliver de la Paz as Next Poet Laureate | City of Worcester, MA". www.worcesterma.gov. Retrieved 2024-08-28.
  41. ^ "Meet Juan Matos, Worcester's Poet Laureate — Mass Poetry". Retrieved 2024-08-28.