Margaret Gibson, working with the Connecticut Office of the Arts, launched a new website called Connecticut Poets Respond featuring current and past Town Poet Laureates in Connecticut reading their own poems online. This is a project Gibson has initiated as a fellow of The Academy of American Poets. Gibson was awarded the fellowship and grant money to support her own work and also to support civic poetry programs in Connecticut.
The position of CT Poet Laureate is an honorary, unpaid position and the town poet laureates across the state are also honorary positions. There are currently 30 town poet laureates in the state and Gibson plans to assist those poets more involved in promoting poetry in their respective communities. (At any time, but especially in times of social ferment and distress, listening to poetry opens the way to clarity of heart and mind and to conversation with others. Poetry offers language at its most intimate and invites connection and reflection.” )
Poets participating in this first edition of the
Connecticut Poets Respond website:
Margaret Gibson, CT State
Rennie McQuilkin, CT State (Emeritus)
Cortney Davis, Bethel
David K. Leff, Canton
Joan Hofmann, Canton (Emerita)
Ryan Parker, Manchester
Mick Theebs, Milford
James Scrimgeour, New Milford
Roger Singer, Old Lyme
Barb Jennes, Ridgefield
Pegi Deitz Shea, Vernon
Katie Eber, Wallingford
Davyne Verstandig, Washington (Emerita)
Julie Choffel, West Hartford (Emerita)
Ginny Connors, West Hartford (Emerita)
Christine Beck, West Hartford (Emerita)
Diane Lowman, Westport
David Bibbey, Woodbury
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