Westwood Poet Laureates Participate in Gathering of Laureates from Eastern and Central Massachusetts

Last Saturday, Lynne Viti, Westwood Poet Laureate and Elizabeth Lowney, Westwood Youth Poet Laureate joined 14 poet laureates from Massachusetts cities and towns for "Conversation with our Poet Laureates," at the Brockton Public Library. Poets from across Massachusetts presented their poetry and had an open discussion on the state of poetry and their personal stories about how and why they became poets.  The  National Poetry Month celebration was organized by Brockton Poet Laureate Phillip Hasouris. Poet/songwriter/educator Regie Gibson served as moderator of the program.

The afternoon began with a film presentation honoring the life and work of the late Haitian-born American poet and translator Danielle Legros Georges,  poet laureate emerita of Boston (2015-2019) and professor emerita of creative writing at Lesley University, who passed away in February of this year.

In addition to Dr. Viti and Ms. Lowney, poets who presented their poems and participated in the conversation about the state of poetry in Massachusetts included Ellie O'Leary and Lisa Umani Phillips (Amesbury); Jean Flanagan (Arlington); Phillip Hasouris and Hannah Baptiste (Brockton); Jennifer Barber (Brookline); Jean-Dany Joachim (Poet Populi, Cambridge); Daniel Speers (Haverhill ); CD Collins (Malden); Vijaya Sundaram (Medford); Miriam O'Neal (Plymouth); J.D. Scrimgeour (Salem); Lloyd Schwartz  (Somerville); and Oscar de la Paz (Worcester).

In the coming weeks, the search will be underway for a Massachusetts state poet laureate, a position established by Governor Maura Healey on February 3 of this year, via executive order. This post, similar to those in Massachusetts cities and towns, will be honorary,  promoting poetry and creative expression throughout the Commonwealth.