On Saturday, April 6, from 2 to 3 pm, the West Tisbury library will celebrate the appointment of the 2019–21 Martha’s Vineyard poet laureate, Jill Jupen. According to a press release, Jupen was one of four local poets nominated for the honorary position by Martha’s Vineyard art and poetry organizations.

Jupen is the founder of the Martha’s Vineyard Poets Collective, a group of 15 poets who meet weekly at the Anchors Senior Center in Edgartown. She has led the group in writing poetry, critiquing one another’s work, and studying classical and modern poets.

She is involved in workshops at M.V. Regional High School and at Island libraries. She does readings at the Poetry Café at the M.V. Playhouse, Pathways, libraries, Mytoi Garden on Chappaquiddick, and off-Island for the Massachusetts Poetry Society. Jupen’s poetry has been published in numerous literary journals, including Green Mountain Review, Hunger Mountain, Dakota Territory, and Rattle. The press release says she was nominated for a Pushcart Prize, and in 2018 won the Plan B Press poetry chapbook contest, which led to the publication of her chapbook “The Space Between.” The chapbook will be used in a seminar during spring semester at the University of Hong Kong titled “The Space Between: The Poetry of Loneliness.”

The Martha’s Vineyard poet laureate is an Islandwide advocacy position responsible for promoting the art of poetry on Martha’s Vineyard. Each laureate in a two-year term is responsible for presenting a minimum of one talk, lecture, or symposium on poetry each year, and will also provide assistance in the direction of activities for National Poetry Month in April. The position is an opportunity for the arts community not only to honor an Island poet for excellence, but also to recognize our rich poetic traditions, and encourage greater appreciation for poetry.

Jill Jupen will be the fourth poet laureate of Martha’s Vineyard. Previous poet laureates have been Justen Ahren (2017–19), Arnie Reisman (2014–17) and Lee McCormack (2012–14), all of whom have been passionate promoters of poetry on Martha’s Vineyard.

The reception is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served.