Poets Laureate Across Massachusetts

Meet Sharon Chace, Rockport’s Poet Laureate

Meet Sharon Chace, Rockport’s Poet Laureate

Poets Laureate Across Massachusetts A note from the interviewer, Alice Kociemba Each of the Commonwealth’s poets laureate brings his or her special perspective to the post. Rockport’s poet laureate, Sharon Chace is a “bridge-builder” who has combined her interests in...

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Meet Porsha Olayiwola, Boston’s Poet Laureate

Meet Porsha Olayiwola, Boston’s Poet Laureate

Poets Laureate Across Massachusetts A note from the interviewer, Alice Kociemba Porsha Olayiwola, the city of Boston’s current Poet Laureate, reflects on how a local laureate can become an advocate for poetry in schools and in correctional institutions, certainly...

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Meet Steven Ratiner, Arlingtons’s Poet Laureate

Meet Steven Ratiner, Arlingtons’s Poet Laureate

Poets Laureate Across Massachusetts A note from the interviewer, Alice Kociemba Rather than answer individual questions, Steven Ratiner described his overall plans and initiatives as Arlington’s third poet laureate. While reading about Steven’s Red Letter Poem...

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Meet Ellie O’Leary, Amesbury’s Poet Laureate

Meet Ellie O’Leary, Amesbury’s Poet Laureate

Poets Laureate Across Massachusetts A Note from the Interviewer, Alice Kociemba Like many towns across the Commonwealth who have established a poet laureate position, participating in the life of the community includes not only writing an occasional poem, but also...

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Meet Karen Skolfield, Northampton’s Poet Laureate

Meet Karen Skolfield, Northampton’s Poet Laureate

Poets Laureate Across Massachusetts A note from the interviewer, Alice Kociemba Poetry has become an integral part of the social fabric of Northampton and its surrounding towns. I had heard about Northampton’s local-poem-in-every-menu during restaurant week before...

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Meet Juan Matos, Worcester’s Poet Laureate

Meet Juan Matos, Worcester’s Poet Laureate

Poets Laureate Across Massachusetts Meet Juan Matos, Worcester’s Poet Laureate When did your city or town decide to establish a poet laureate position? Is there a length of time the poet laureate serves?Distinguish poet, Gertrude Halstead, was Worcester’s first Poet...

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Meet Stephan Delbos, Plymouth’s Poet Laureate

Meet Stephan Delbos, Plymouth’s Poet Laureate

Poets Laureate Across Massachusetts A note from the interviewer, Alice Kociemba I remember the surveys the Mass Poetry Festival team would send out to gauge the impact the festival had on Salem’s economy (Did you stay in a hotel? Did you eat in a restaurant? Did you...

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Meet Magdalena Gómez, Springfield’s Poet Laureate

Meet Magdalena Gómez, Springfield’s Poet Laureate

Poets Laureate Across Massachusetts A note from the interviewer, Alice Kociemba Poetry has a natural kinship with music, story telling, and theater, as Magdalena Gómez, Poet Laureate of Springfield keenly appreciates. In this second spotlight on the Commonwealth’s...

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Meet Lloyd Schwartz, Somerville’s Poet Laureate

Meet Lloyd Schwartz, Somerville’s Poet Laureate

Poets Laureate Across Massachusetts A note from the interviewer, Alice Kociemba Many years ago now, I attended a panel discussion at a Mass Poetry Festival in Salem by New England poets laureate from Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island and Connecticut. Sadly,...

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