The Town of North Haven is searching for a person with a passion for poetry to become the town’s next poet laureate.
Gabriella Brand has been the poet laureate at the North Haven Memorial Library for the past three years.
“A poet laureate is a person who in a way represents their town but also is there as a missionary, somebody who is making an effort to get poetry into people’s minds and hearts."
Brand said she’s enjoyed her role immensely as it has allowed her to enter spaces she otherwise would not have been a part of.
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"I've had an opportunity to really be connected to people and that's been the most satisfying thing. For example, I do the Memorial Day parade and so I've gotten to meet all the people, our first selectman, second selectman, third selectwoman. A wonderful experience to do that and to meet people from the foreign legion or other organizations, to go into the schools, that's been absolutely wonderful and also even getting to know the library staff in a way that I wouldn't as someone coming in to borrow a book,” Brand said.
The poet laureate term runs for two years but Brand has held the position for three years, and while new applications are being accepted, she said she wouldn’t mind continuing if no one else applies.
“I’m willing to continue if nobody is found but my hope is I can pass this mantle on,” said Brand.
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Susan Griffiths, the library’s services director explained the importance of a poet laureate.
“Poetry is wonderful for the community, it gives people something they can grasp short term, they don't have to commit to a book group but they still get to enjoy the arts,” Griffiths said.
She added bringing on a poet laureate was one of her personal goals, and the only main qualification is the person has to be a resident of the town.
"As long as you can share your art and share your poetry with people, that's the main thing,” said Griffiths.
For more information on how to become North Haven’s next poet laureate, click here.
