Building Community Through Poetry
The Portsmouth Poet Laureate Program is dedicated to building community through poetry by appointing and supporting an outstanding local poet as Poet Laureate for the city, sponsoring events that feature area poets and authors from outside the New Hampshire Seacoast, and encouraging a love of poetry among people of all ages.
Established in 1997 by local arts organizers and writers, the program brings people together to celebrate the written word and the talents of local and visiting artists.
Join Our Board!
The PPLP needs board members!
Be a part of this amazing tradition of building community with poetry.
Submissions for the Comfort Rounds Anthology are now Open!
We are seeking poems to support and uplift Medical Professionals* and welcome your musings, anecdotes, and words of kindness.
Comfort Rounds: Round 3 Centos
Thank you to everyone who attended Comfort Rounds: Round 3, both in-person and on Zoom! These centos were composed of your words by Lauren WB Vermette.
Comfort Rounds are back!
Please join us on Saturday, May 31st, from 12 – 2pm at the Portsmouth Public Library’s Levenson Room for Comfort Rounds 3: Greeting Card Gratitudes, an afternoon of playing with short poems that leap off the page and into the heart.
Painting Poetry – April 8
Our next “Painting Poetry” is coming up! Join us on April 8th for an evening of open mic poetry and improv painting!
The Teen Hoot!
Kick off National Poetry Month with us on April 2nd at Stroll’s Portwalk location with 6 teen poets from Portsmouth High School!
Comfort Rounds: Round 2 Centos
Thank you to everyone who attended Comfort Rounds: Round 2, both in-person and on Zoom! These centos were composed of your words by Lauren WB Vermette.
Comfort Rounds: Round 1 Centos
Thank you to everyone who attended Comfort Rounds: Round 1 both in-person and on Zoom! These centos were composed of your words by Lauren WB Vermette.
PPLP: Comfort Rounds Workshop
Join Portsmouth Poet Laureate, Lauren WB Vermette for a new workshop series: “Comfort Rounds”
“Comfort Rounds” is a series of generative poetry workshops where we give care back to our caregivers and hospital staff with the gift of our words.
Elizabeth Knies
Dear friends, our friend and former poet laureate of Portsmouth Elizabeth Knies has passed away. Liz first came to New Hampshire in 1965. A master's degree in English Language and Linguistics from UNH (1985) served as a passport for two and a half years of teaching in...
