Justen Ahren of West Tisbury has been selected as the 2017-2019 Poet Laureate of Martha’s Vineyard.

The poet laureate of Martha’s Vineyard has a new book out and he is looking for you to get engaged with words.

Emma Young has been spreading the gospel of poetry throughout West Tisbury for years, but now she has an official pulpit.

Join the Vineyard Haven Public Library and the Martha’s Vineyard Poetry Society as they celebrate Arnie Reisman as the new Martha’s Vineyard poet laureate.

At age 81 Oak Bluffs poet laureate Michael Achille prefers the quiet side of inspiration. As for advice on the poetic life, he says, “you have to be a real feeling person and just have an interest in things.”

First, start somewhere familiar. Chopping parsley in the kitchen.
Listening to headphones on 44th street. Observing three-year-olds throw
insults like Big Sewerface at a birthday party.

Then, follow a trail of crumbs into the woods. Better yet, find a
rabbit hole and jump down it. Or pull the candle stick on the mantle in
the haunted house and slip through the bookcase when it swivels around.
Enter the less familiar, somewhat weird, darkly funny, sometimes
frightening.

Following the recommendation of the West Tisbury public library trustees, the West Tisbury selectmen voted recently to appoint West Tisbury resident Fan Ogilvie to the position of town poet laureate.

Poet Laureate Reads

Don’t pass up the chance to see Poet Laureate Fan Oglivie of West Tisbury read in her native land. Ms. Ogilvie, along with poet Patrick Phillips, will be reading at the West Tisbury Public Library on Sunday, Dec. 5 at 4 p.m.

Ms. Ogilivie has taught workshops at the Featherstone Center for the Arts and at the Dukes County House of Correction. She has also published several chapbooks, most recently Poems from the Gray Bar Hotel (2010).

Calling all ye wranglers of words, soothsayers of speech, and liberators of lobotomized lazy language: West Tisbury wants you.

Nominations for the next poet laureate of West Tisbury will be accepted from Jan. 3 to Feb. 1. Forms are available at the library and require the nominator’s name and contact information along with the nominee’s name and contact information.

Edgartown has named its first poet laureate, with the title bestowed upon Steve Ewing at the board of selectmen’s meeting Monday. According to the selectmen, Mr. Ewing’s primary responsibility as poet laureate is to prepare and deliver a poem at the annual town meeting.

Mr. Ewing’s only objection was to the title. “I don’t know what to say,” he told the selectmen. “I’m really honored. Poet laureate is kind of a fancy term . . . I’m just a local kid who likes to write.”