The term “poet laureate” might conjure images of D.C. hobnobbers working at the behest of the Librarian of Congress, but this fall the position could just as easily be filled by your neighbor — at least in Needham.
Last October, Town Manager and poetry enthusiast Kate Fitzpatrick applied to the Needham Council for Arts & Culture for a $500 grant to appoint Needham’s first poet laureate. After spending several months refining the job description, the town is accepting applications to fill the position with a target start date in September.
Fitzpatrick said this quote from singer-songwriter Alice Osborn resonated with her: “Poetry is like the Windex on a grubby car window — it bares open the vulnerabilities of human beings so we can all relate to each other a little better.”
“I thought, looking at our race-equity statement for the town and trying to be intentional, I thought poetry can be our Windex,” she said.
The role, which includes performing at town events, leading workshops for students in the Needham Public Schools and moderating the poetry club’s National Poetry Month meeting in April, will be overseen by the Needham Free Public Library.
“This is an exciting collaboration between Town Hall and the library, as well as the literary community in Needham,” said library Director Rob MacLean. “It’s great that one of [Fitzpatrick’s] passions matches perfectly with our mission to lift up and celebrate books and words and authors and poets, too.”
MacLean said the goal of the selection committee is to find someone who connects well with people and can help enhance their lives with poetry.
“Poetry is for everyone, but not everybody feels poetry is accessible to them,” he said, holding Bill Littlefield’s “Take Me Out.” “So a book about baseball is perfect; it just opens doors for so many people into a world of poetry.”
Applicants for the first-time position must live or work in Needham and have demonstrated their commitment to the community. Once selected, the recipient will be in the role for 10 months and will be asked to offer feedback about their experience and how to improve the program. MacLean said the individual will also be able to add their own flair to the role and bring ideas in addition to the requirements set by the town.
“This is an exciting launch,” he said. “I’m really happy that Needham has stepped up and joined the growing number of communities that have a poet laureate. Needham is much better known for all of the visual artists who live here and work here and are celebrated, and we hope that there are as many people who are as passionate about the literary arts — and poetry especially — that we can give them a voice and celebrate them, too.”
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