Esther Cohen appointed Greene County’s first poet laureate

CATSKILL―CREATE Council On The Arts in partnership with the Greene County Legislature has announced the appointment of Esther Cohen of Cornwallville as Greene County's first poet laureate.

A panel of local writers and community members selected Cohen for her work as a poet and poetry teacher, as well as for her ongoing commitment to Greene County, which spans four decades.

She has taught at Manhattanville College, The New School, Parsons School of Design, and currently teaches Good Stories in Greene County at the Cairo Library, which has been funded for many years by Poets and Writers. She is an author of nine books, and hundreds of articles, poems, stories, essays and reviews.

Her most recent published book, ALL OF US (2024) is a fictional portrait, in stories and poems, of Greene County life.

Cohen has been dedicated to bringing poetry to unexpected places―doing readings or workshops in diners, supermarkets, laundromats―or to underserved groups. Her “Poem a Day” project can be found at https://overheardec.substack.com.

CREATE Council on the Arts will host a ceremony and reading in April as a part of National Poetry Month.

The Greene County Poet Laureate is a two-year appointment that serves to promote the appreciation of poetry in Greene County as well as engage in local literary events as part of their tenure. The program joins a growing movement across New York State to recognize poets for their artistic achievements and community impact. This initiative aims to highlight literary activities in the county and ensure that poetry remains a vital part of the county’s cultural landscape.

‍