Poet laureates share their wisdom in Heritage Museum talk

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, February 9, 2022

Two esteemed and accomplished poets, Ann Spiers and Sandra Noel, will share their insights and perspectives on Vashon Island’s embrace of poetry, in a talk that will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 10, on Zoom.

The conversation, “Vashon Poet Laureates: The Importance of Poetry in the Life of a Small Community,” is free for all, but pre-registration is required.

Spiers was the inaugural Poet Laureate of Vashon Island. She served as Vashon Audubon president and as the Land Trust’s staff overseeing volunteer stewards and compiling property baselines. She stewards the Vashon Poetry Post in the Village Green and writes signage for Vashon’s many conservation parks. For almost 30 years, she’s met with friends at Mondays at Three, to share haiku. Her 2021-22 poetry books include “Rain Violent” (Empty Bowl), “Back Cut” (Black Heron), and “Harpoon” (Ravenna Triple Series). See AnnSpiers.com for more information about her life and works.

Noel works as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer developing environmental education posters, brochures, exhibits and interpretive signs. She is Poet Laureate for Vashon Island for 2021-23. Her poems have appeared in “Buddhist Poetry Review,” “Elohi Gadugi Journal,” and other journals. Chapbooks include “The Gypsy in my Kitchen” and “Into the Green”(Finishing Line Press), “The River” (Kelsay Press), “Unraveling the Endless Knot” (Middle Creek Publishing & Audio), and a full-length poetry book, “Love, Island” (Goldfish Press). More information about her life and work can be found at www.noeldesigninterp.com.

Register to attend the talk, hosted by Tom Amorose, at tinyurl.com/faprwh75.