Mount Vernon Names Inaugural Poet Laureate

Marianne Taylor

At its Sept. 17 meeting, the Mount Vernon City Council approved the appointment of Marianne Taylor as Mount Vernon’s inaugural poet laureate. Taylor, a former city council member, is professor of English at Kirkwood Community College, where she teaches a broad array of writing and literature courses.

She holds degrees from Bucknell University and the University of California-Irvine. She has taught English at Cal-Irvine and California State University at Fullerton.
A widely published poet, Taylor is the recipient of numerous literary awards for her writing and teaching. She has also been honored for her work in the community, including serving as president of the Cole Library Board of Trustees and as an officer of the Mount Vernon Lisbon Community Theater Board of Directors. She founded the Mount Vernon Sustainability Advisory Committee, has served in an advisory capacity for numerous boards and organizations and has organized poetry and writing workshops.

Taylor was selected for the position by a committee chaired by Steve Maravetz, president of the Mount Vernon Area Arts Council. The position was established earlier this year as an initiative of the MVAAC. Mount Vernon is considered the smallest city in America with a poet laureate.

As poet laureate, Taylor will be responsible for:
• Creation of an original work of appropriate content to be presented at Mount Vernon’s Memorial Day ceremony at the cemetery.
• Presenting at least one public outreach activity that celebrates poetry, writing and writers.
• Participating in Heritage Days celebration.
• Representing Mount Vernon to internal and external audiences.

The term of the position is two years and carries a $500 annual stipend paid by the MVAAC.