Massachusetts

City and County Poets Laureate

Amesbury

In 2024, Lisa Usani Phillips was appointed poet laureate of Amesbury. She will serve through 2025.

Attleboro

In 2022, Briana Serradas was named the inaugural poet laureate of Attleboro, Massachusetts.

Arlington

In 2023, Jean P. Flanagan was named poet laureate of Arlington, Massachusetts. Flanagan will serve a two-year term.

Boston

In 2019, Porsha Olayiwola was named poet laureate of Boston, Massachusetts. Olayiwola will serve a four-year term.

Brockton

In 2021, Philip Hasouris was named the poet laureate of Brockton, Massachusetts.

Martha's Vineyard

Jill Jupen served as poet laureate of Martha's Vineyard through 2024.

Medford

In 2023, Vijaya Sundaram was appointed poet laureate of Medford. She will serve a two-year term.

Northampton

In 2024, Franny Choi was appointed poet laureate of Northampton. They will serve through 2026.

Plymouth

In 2020, Stephan Delbos was appointed poet laureate of Plymouth. He will serve through 2023.

Rockport

In 2017, Sharon Chace was appointed poet laureate of Rockport.

Somerville

In 2019, Lloyd Schwartz was named poet laureate of Somerville, Massachusetts. Schwartz will serve until 2024.

Springfield

In 2019, Magdalena Gómez was named poet laureate of Springfield, Massachusetts. Gómez will serve a two-year term.

Westwood

In 2023, Lynne Viti was named poet laureate of Westwood, Massachusetts. Viti will serve a two-year term.

Worcester

In 2023, Oliver de la Paz was named poet laureate of Worcester, Massachusetts. He will serve through 2025.

Type	Title	State
Literary Organization	The Frost Foundation	Massachusetts
Literary Organization	PEN New England	Massachusetts
Literary Organization	Worcester County Poetry Association	Massachusetts
Literary Organization	Concord Poetry Center	Massachusetts
Literary Organization	Grub Street, Inc.	Massachusetts
Writing Program	Boston University	Massachusetts
Writing Program	Emerson College	Massachusetts
Literary Organization	Provincetown Fine Arts Work Center	Massachusetts
Writing Program	The Solstice MFA in Creative Writing	Massachusetts
Writing Program	University of Massachusetts: Amherst	Massachusetts

In the Waiting Room

In Worcester, Massachusetts,
I went with Aunt Consuelo
to keep her dentist's appointment
and sat and waited for her
in the dentist's waiting room.
It was winter. It got dark
early. The waiting room
was full of grown-up people,
arctics and overcoats,

Elizabeth Bishop

1979

Elegy in Limestone

If the water, everywhere, and if she

is. If ghosts, like water, like if all

rivers and oceans and rains are one

ghost, surrounding and throughout.

If she is, like if the lakes and bays

of Seattle define Seattle, if the ices

Of Mars and Massachusetts,

hidden in their deep stones, define

Mars and Massachusetts; if she is.

A thirst unmet, alkaline or saline,

the water not touching that thirst,

if my thirst wants something else

CJ Evans

2013

The Boston Evening Transcript

The readers of the Boston Evening Transcript	
Sway in the wind like a field of ripe corn.	
 
When evening quickens faintly in the street,	
Wakening the appetites of life in some	
And to others bringing the Boston Evening Transcript,
I mount the steps and ring the bell, turning	
Wearily, as one would turn to nod good-bye to Rochefoucauld,	
If the street were time and he at the end of the street,	
And I say, "Cousin Harriet, here is the Boston Evening Transcript."

T. S. Eliot

1920

Poetry Near You

Massachusetts

Recent & Featured Listings

Anne Bradstreet

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Robert Frost

In the Waiting Room

Elegy in Limestone

The Boston Evening Transcript

Poetry Near You

Page submenu block

Massachusetts

Recent & Featured Listings

Anne Bradstreet

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Robert Frost

Related Poems

In the Waiting Room

Elegy in Limestone

The Boston Evening Transcript

Newsletter Sign Up