Poet Laureate of Vermont
Officially appointed poet
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The poet laureate of Vermont is the poet laureate for the U.S. state of Vermont.
| Poet Laureate of Vermont | |
|---|---|
since 2024 | |
| Type | Poet laureate |
| Formation | 1961 |
| First holder | Robert Frost |
Robert Frost was the first poet named as laureate by Joint House Resolution 54 of the Vermont General Assembly in 1961, less than two years before his death.[1][2][3][4] The position of state poet, a four-year appointment, was created by Vermont Governor Madeleine Kunin's Executive Order 69 in 1988. In 2007, on the new investiture of Ruth Stone in the position, Vermont Governor Jim Douglas changed the position's title to poet laureate.[5] The title of poet laureate is now used retroactively to describe prior state poets.[6]
In 1989, the same year the first state poet was appointed since Robert Frost, a concurrent position of Vermont Poet Laureate was created by the Poetry Society of Vermont and awarded to William D. Mundell.[7] This position was recognized by the state legislature in a 1998 joint resolution after his death in 1997.[8]
List of poets laureate
The following held the Vermont state poet position:
- Robert Frost (1961–1963)[5][9]
- Galway Kinnell (1989–1993)[5][9]
- Louise Glück (1994–1998)[5][9]
- Ellen Bryant Voigt (1999–2002)[5][9]
- Grace Paley (2003–2007)[5][9]
The following held the Vermont poet laureate position:
- Ruth Stone (2007–2011)[5][9]
- Sydney Lea (2011–2015)[5][9][10][11]
- Chard deNiord (2015–2019)[5][9][12]
- Mary Ruefle (2019–2024)[5][9][13]
- Bianca Stone (2024–present)[14]
In addition to these, William D. Mundell held a separate office of Vermont Poet Laureate 1989–1997.[7]
