Past Poet Laureates

Lesléa Newman, 2008-2010

Poet Laureate of Northampton 2008-2010

LESLÉA NEWMAN is the author of more than 50 books including the poetry collection STILL LIFE WITH BUDDY, the short story collection A LETTER TO HARVEY MILK, the middle-grade novel HACHIKO WAITS and the children's books THE BOY WHO CRIED FABULOUS and HEATHER HAS TWO MOMMIES. Her poems have appeared in many publications including SEVENTEEN MAGAZINE, THE SUN, LILITH, CIMARRON REVIEW and THE BARK. She has received many literary awards including Poetry Fellowships from the Massachusetts Artists Fellowship Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, the Highlights for Children Fiction Writing Award, the James Baldwin Award for Cultural Achievement, and three Pushcart Prize Nominations. Nine of her books have been Lambda Literary Award finalists. Recently, Lesléa has been a semi-finalist for the 2007 Pablo Neruda Poetry Competition and a finalist in the 2007 Sow Ear's Poetry Review Contest. Currently, she is on the faculty of the Stonecoast MFA Program at the University of Southern Maine.  

Lesléa Newman’s outstanding publishing record, and most especially her broad audience of readers, from small children to adults, impressed the poet laureate committee. Moreover, they were moved by her daring and humorous approach to themes often neglected, such as discrimination against Jews and gays and lesbians. As one member of the committee put it, we consider this a “wonderful outcome” and have no doubt that Lesléa will bring her enthusiasm for poetry to all corners of Northampton.

Activities carried out by Northampton Poet Laureate Lesléa Newman 

  • Read poems at the Really Big Show, Northampton, MA

  • Wrote and read original poem at the Hungry Ghost Bakery Bread Festival, Northampton, Ma

  • Read poems at the Florence Poets Society Festival

  • Put up poems on broadsheets in downtown Northampton during the month of April to celebrate National Poetry Month (first year: poems in the public domain; second year, poems by local poets)

  • Taught a poetry workshop at JFK Middle School, Northampton, MA

  • Walked to school with Jackson Street children and recited poetry at outdoor assembly

  • Became active participant in Forbes Library Monday night poetry appreciation group and facilitated several discussions

  • Held inauguration reading at Forbes Library

  • Helped plan spoken word event for Four Sundays in February and acted as emcee for the event with Richard Wilbur and Taylor Mali and others

  • Initiated and judged Paradise Poetry Prize. Theme of the contest was “joy”. Winning poems written by adults were published in the Daily Hampshire Gazette and winners received gift certificates to Broadside Books; honorable mentions were printed up on broadsheets and displayed in storefront windows in downtown Northampton during National Poetry Month. Winning poems written by children were displayed in the window of Broadside Books. Children were awarded an autographed copy of HACHIKO WAITS at a special community meeting at Leeds School. Hosted a reading and celebration with 3 adult winners at River Valley Market.

  • Initiated and edited “Hear a Poet, There a Poet” bi-weekly column for Daily Hampshire Gazette. Applied for and received Northampton Arts Lottery grant to collect these poems into an anthology. Reading and celebration will be held at Forbes Library in April 2010..

  • Read poems about flowers and gardens at Forbes Library before the annual Northampton garden tour.

  • Brought poets Patricia Smith and Cheryl Boyce-Taylor to the Pioneer Valley to read at The Care Center in Holyoke, the Forbes Library in Northampton and Smith College in Northampton

  • Read as featured reader at “Bart’s Bards” in Greenfield

  • Read as featured reader at Collected poets in Shelburne Falls

  • Gave poetry reading at Green Street Café (with Andrea Ayvazian)

  • Gave a reading at Broadside Books for new book of poetry, Nobody’s Mother

  • Organized Inaugural Open Reading to celebrate President Obama at Yellow Sofa Café (with Florence Poets Society) and emceed event. Thirty-three poets participated.

  • Attended Leeds School 4th grade Poetry Reading

  • Participated in poetry reading tribute to Stanley Kunitz at Forbes Library

  • Started “Lunch with the Laureate” series and read at:

    • Women Outdoors

    • Northampton Senior Center

    • Congregation B’nai Israel Senior luncheon

    • Congregation B’nail Israel Sisterhood

    • “Fridays at Four” writing group at Haydenville community church

    • Lathrop Home

    • 5 College Learning in Retirement

    • Jackson Street School (for teachers)

    • Smith Voc (for students)

    • Marty Wohl’s men’s book group

  • Held poetry drive: collected books of poetry during April 2009. Collected 100 books which were distributed to waiting rooms around Northampton, as part of program, “Poetry to Wait By.”

  • Initiated a “30 Poems in 30 Days” challenge to the Poets of the Pioneer Valley. Poets got people to sponsor a monetary amount per poem and wrote a poem a day during the month of November. Money was donated to the Family Literacy project of the Center for New Americans. More than $10,000 (ten-thousand dollars) was raised.

    • Celebratory reading and presentation took place at Forbes Public Library.

    • Forty-five poets read to an audience of 100 people.

  • Was featured reader at Florence Poets Society Reading

  • Received Florence Poets Society Quill and Ink award in recognition of contribution on behalf of poetry and literacy made to the community during two-year poet laureate term.

  • Judged intercollegiate poetry slam held at American International College in Springfield.

  • Keynote speaker at Write Angles conference and led poetry workshop there.

  • Appeared twice on the radio program Poetry a la Carte, hosted by Daisy Matthias on WMUA.

  • Published HEAR A POET, THERE A POET: A PIONEER VALLEY ANTHOLOGY supported in part by a grant from the Northampton Arts Council. Reading and celebration to be held at Forbes Library on April 21, 2010.