About Hometown Poet Laureates
What We Do in the Plymouth Community
The role of the America’s Hometown Laureate is to elevate poetry and arts in the consciousness of Plymouth residents and to promote the community’s values, history, people, and cultural traditions through literary arts. The selection of the Plymouth Poet Laureate continues when the current Laureate's term is complete. We actively seek local poets and new works. The Poet Laureate engages audiences via live events and social media through their written poetry and spoken word. Members of the AHL Board will promote this effort through fundraising efforts including grant submissions, continuing to build supporters of the arts and using social media to spread the word. Members of the Board range from public entities and private enterprises including Town Meeting, the Plymouth Foundation, the Plymouth Chamber of Commerce, the Plymouth Bay Cultural District, and The Local Seen. The support of and from local small businesses is crucial to cultural programming. We intend to expand the cultural arts we are featuring in the future to include a Plymouth Student Laureate, Troubadour, and Artist-in-residence.
Our Mission
America's Hometown Laureates, Inc. is a non-profit 501 (c) (3) organization whose mission is to promote poetry, spoken word, visual, literary, and performing artistry by sponsoring programs, publishing relevant content on social media, conduction community engagement and learning opportunities and coordinating efforts with other organizations having similar purposes.
Miriam O'Neal, PLYMOUTH, MA POET LAUREATE
Miriam O’Neal is the Poet Laureate of Plymouth, MA and hosts the poetry reading series, Poetry the Art of Words. She has published 3 collections of poetry; We Start With What We’re Given (Kelsay Books 2018), The Body Dialogues (Lily Poetry Review Press 2020), and The Half-Said Things (Nixes Mate Books 2022), as well as poems and reviews in many journals, including, The Galway Review, North Dakota Quarterly, and The Waxed Lemon. For signed copies of her work, contact her at Miriam.e.oneal@gmail.com. You can also order her books from https://kelsaybooks.com/, https://lilypoetryreview.blog/, and https://nixesmate.pub (or from that other place).
Past POET LAUREATE, STEPHaN DELBOS, PLYMOUTH, MA
Stephan Delbos is an internationally published writer and literary critic. He earned his BA in literature from Providence College, and an MFA in poetry from New England College. He was awarded a Ph.D. from Charles University. His poetry, essays and translations have appeared most recently in Absinthe, Agni, Asymptote, Atlanta Review, BlazeVOX, The Brooklyn Quarterly, EXPOUND, Fourteen Hills, The Enchanted Verses Literary Review, The Istanbul Review, New Letters, Poetry International, Poetry Salzburg Review, Rakish Angel, and Zoland Poetry.
He is the editor of From a Terrace in Prague: A Prague Poetry Anthology (Litteraria Pragensia, 2011). A collection of visual, music-inspired poems, “Bagatelles for Typewriter,” was exhibited at Prague’s ArtSpace Gallery in May 2012. His first full-length play, “Chetty’s Lullaby,” about the life of trumpet legend Chet Baker, has been produced in New York and San Francisco. His co-translation of The Absolute Gravedigger, by Czech poet Vítězslav Nezval, was awarded the PEN/Heim Translation grant in 2015 and was published by Twisted Spoon Press. He is the author of the poetry chapbook In Memory of Fire (Cape Cod Poetry Review, 2016), and a founding editor of B O D Y.
Publications & Other Activities
- From a Terrace in Prague: A Prague Poetry Anthology (Litteraria Pragensia, 2011)
- In Memory of Fire (Cape Cod Poetry Review, 2016)
- The Absolute Gravedigger (Twisted Spoon Press, 2016)
- Poems and Passports: Assimilation in The New American Poetry. Assimilation in American Literature. Matthew Sweney and Michal Peprnik, eds. Olomouc: Palacký University Press 2016.
- Directing Inspiration: Beat Poetry in Contemporary American Film. In: Read on Screen: Film Adaptations of Literature in English. Editors: Klara Kolinska and Carlos A. Sanz Mingo. Prague: Metropolitan University Prague Press, 2016
- “Radical Formalism: Robert Lowell’s The Dolphin.” The Rainbow of American Poetry. Matthew Sweney, ed. Olomouc: Palacký University Press 2014.
- “A Case for William Bronk.” William Bronk in the 21st Century: New Assessments. Burt Kimmelman, ed. New Jersey: Talisman Editions 2013.
Board of directors
President, Jennifer Harris | Retired Library Director/Town Meeting Member
President, Jennifer Harris | Retired Library Director/Town Meeting Member
President, Jennifer Harris | Retired Library Director/Town Meeting Member
Jennifer C. Harris is President of the America's Hometown Laureates. Inc. Board of Directors. She was a public librarian for 33 years prior to her retirement from the Plymouth Public Library as Library Director in 2021. Ms. Harris has remained active as a Plymouth Town Meeting Member for Precinct 13, Trustee of the Pilgrim Hall Museum
Jennifer C. Harris is President of the America's Hometown Laureates. Inc. Board of Directors. She was a public librarian for 33 years prior to her retirement from the Plymouth Public Library as Library Director in 2021. Ms. Harris has remained active as a Plymouth Town Meeting Member for Precinct 13, Trustee of the Pilgrim Hall Museum and Pilgrim Society, Chair of the Plymouth Town Hall Art and History Collections Task Force and a Director on the Local Seen Board. Her investment in bringing cultural events to the Plymouth community has been ongoing for 27 years through the Plymouth Public Library. Poetry was an area of interest whereby she hosted the Plymouth Public Library Poetry Club/Workshop, live poetry readings in collaboration with Quincy College and the Plymouth County Sheriff's Department, open mic night with PACTV as well as working with the Poetry The Art of Words group. Ms. Harris was instrumental in bringing the Poet Laureate award to Plymouth and will continue to promote poetry through this board.
Favorite Poem:
WH Auden - Stop All the Clocks
Vice President, Malissa Kenney | Plymouth Bay Cultural District
President, Jennifer Harris | Retired Library Director/Town Meeting Member
President, Jennifer Harris | Retired Library Director/Town Meeting Member
Malissa Kenney is the Director of Outreach, Inclusion and CapeCodCAN for the Cotuit Center of the Arts. With over 25 years working in non-profit leadership positions, her experience in the disability work sector has made her a fierce advocate for diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and community. Malissa is the Vice Chair of the Plymou
Malissa Kenney is the Director of Outreach, Inclusion and CapeCodCAN for the Cotuit Center of the Arts. With over 25 years working in non-profit leadership positions, her experience in the disability work sector has made her a fierce advocate for diversity, inclusion, accessibility, and community. Malissa is the Vice Chair of the Plymouth Bay Cultural District, President of Healthy Plymouth Community Engagement, and serves on local arts, and social service committees. She is inspired by and in awe of Plymouth's talented artists, performers and writers of all ages and abilities.
Favorite Poem:
Mother by Maya Angelou
Treasurer, Glenda Richards | Owner of Books & Sundry
President, Jennifer Harris | Retired Library Director/Town Meeting Member
Treasurer, Glenda Richards | Owner of Books & Sundry
Born in Dallas, Texas, Glenda eventually made her way to Plymouth after college and hasn't left since. With two college-aged kids, she decided to open an independent bookstore, in August 2021 Books & Sundry was born! Her favorite genres are historical fiction and books on American history, but she'll read just about anything that grabs
Born in Dallas, Texas, Glenda eventually made her way to Plymouth after college and hasn't left since. With two college-aged kids, she decided to open an independent bookstore, in August 2021 Books & Sundry was born! Her favorite genres are historical fiction and books on American history, but she'll read just about anything that grabs her attention. In 2023, Glenda returned to her roots as a financial consultant in Boston. In her free time, Glenda enjoys finding new restaurants to try, watching sappy Hallmark movies, and spending time just being with her friends. Glenda continues to assist the America's Hometown Laureates in the sales of books when guest speakers perform.
Favorite Poem:
The Hum by Maggie Smith
Clerk, Stephen Cole | The Plymouth Regional Economic Development Foundation
Director, Amy Naples | Executive Director of the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce
Director, Amy Naples | Executive Director of the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce
Stephen is Executive Director of the Economic Development Foundation. He is focused on developing the arts economy and encouraging Artrepreneurs to recognize the critical role they play in economic development. Fostering poetry and art contributes to Plymouth’s tourism base and celebrates the community’s history, future and diverse culture. If economic development is intended to enhance quality of life, then investing in poetry is economic development.
Favorite Poem:
DARKNESS by George Gordon
Director, Amy Naples | Executive Director of the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce
Director, Amy Naples | Executive Director of the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce
Director, Amy Naples | Executive Director of the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce
Amy Naples is the Executive Director for the Plymouth Area Chamber of Commerce. Amy has served the Plymouth Area Chamber for the past seventeen years in several various roles, and brings her knowledge of the chamber programs, event planning and membership management experience to this leadership role. Amy is born and raised in Plymouth and is incredibly passionate about her hometown and always looking for ways to enhance its vibrancy. When Amy’s not at Chamber events, she can be found with her husband, Danny and their two rescue dogs Buoy & Divi enjoying the beach, downtown or waterfront.
Favorite Poem:
Phenomenal Women by Maya Angelou.
Director, Elizabeth Shanahan-Jewett | The Local Seen
Director, Elizabeth Shanahan-Jewett | The Local Seen
Director, Elizabeth Shanahan-Jewett | The Local Seen
Elizabeth Shanahan-Jewett is the
Executive and Creative Director,
Head of Production at The Local Seen. Originally from the North Shore of Boston, she spent a decade living in Los Angeles and then Spain before landing back in Massachusetts, where she took a break from “paid work” to raise and homeschool her three children. She has called Plymouth home for over twenty years.
Favorite Poem:
anyone lived in a pretty how town
-E.E. Cummings
Stephan Delbos
Director, Elizabeth Shanahan-Jewett | The Local Seen
Director, Elizabeth Shanahan-Jewett | The Local Seen
Stephan Delbos is an internationally published writer and literary critic. He earned his BA in literature from Providence College, and an MFA in poetry from New England College. He was awarded a Ph.D. from Charles University. His poetry, essays and translations have appeared most recently in Absinthe, Agni, Asymptote, Atlanta Review, BlazeVOX, The Brooklyn Quarterly, EXPOUND, Fourteen Hills, The Enchanted Verses Literary Review, The Istanbul Review, New Letters, Poetry International, Poetry Salzburg Review, Rakish Angel, and Zoland Poetry.
He is the editor of From a Terrace in Prague: A Prague Poetry Anthology (Litteraria Pragensia, 2011). A collection of visual, music-inspired poems, “Bagatelles for Typewriter,” was exhibited at Prague’s ArtSpace Gallery in May 2012. His first full-length play, “Chetty’s Lullaby,” about the life of trumpet legend Chet Baker, has been produced in New York and San Francisco. His co-translation of The Absolute Gravedigger, by Czech poet Vítězslav Nezval, was awarded the PEN/Heim Translation grant in 2015 and was published by Twisted Spoon Press. He is the author of the poetry chapbook In Memory of Fire (Cape Cod Poetry Review, 2016), and a founding editor of B O D Y.
