Brookline, MA – The Brookline Commission for the Arts (BCA), which coordinates the Brookline Poet Laureate Program, has selected Jennifer C. Barber as the Town of Brookline’s fourth Poet Laureate to serve from May 1, 2021, to April 30, 2024.
Ms. Barber succeeds Zvi A. Sesling, whose term ended on March 31, 2020. Events surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic caused the position to be vacant for just over a year, but we look forward to working with Ms. Barber to revive the laureate’s activities in town. The Brookline Poet Laureate Program, established by the Select Board in 2012, seeks to enhance Brookline’s cultural life, promote awareness and appreciation of the literary arts, and connect members of the community.
The laureate’s activities will focus on celebrating and educating citizens of all ages in the literary arts in the town, and serving as a poet for significant town occasions and events, including annual Martin Luther King, Jr., Day festivities. In addition, Ms. Barber has many ideas for future events: conducting writing workshops for seniors, organizing annual readings featuring Brookline and surrounding area translators, developing workshops in conjunction with Brookline Public Schools, creating an annual open-mic event to encourage participation from Brookline High School students, and organizing a celebration featuring past and present Brookline and area laureates, to mention a few.
Ms. Barber is the author of four volumes of poetry, including Rigging the Wind (2003) and Given Away (2012), has two forthcoming publications of new and compiled works, and has had her works featured in The New Yorker and the Harvard Review. From 1992-2018 she was editor-in-chief of Salamander, a magazine of poetry, fiction, and memoirs.
The members of the BCA selection committee—Donna Hollenberg, John Plotz, Barbara Scotto, Michael Burstein, Sarathchandra Reddy, Amy Emmert, Kimberley Richardson, Lisa Gozashti, and Jan Schreiber—met on April 13, 2021, to review applications for the post, which pays a $1,500 per year honorarium provided by the Select Board.
“The Changing of the Bard,” an event to congratulate Ms. Barber and introduce her to the Brookline community, will take place in-person at Brookline Booksmith on Monday, October 18, from 7:00 to 8:30pm. Ms Barber will be joined at this free community event by previous laureates Zvi A. Sesling, Jan Schreiber, and Judith Steinbergh for an entertaining evening of readings. A virtual event will be organized if COVID restrictions at that time do not allow for an in-person gathering.
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