EASTHAMPTON — The poetry baton has passed again, this time to Carolyn Cushing.

Cushing has been appointed the city’s new poet laureate, taking over from Jason Montgomery and Alex Woolner, who have served in the position jointly since April 2021.

The city first created the poet laureate position in 2018, tapping longtime resident and poet/printer Gary Metras for the post. Metras was succeeded by María José Giménez, and in 2020 the position was extended from one year to two.

In a statement, Pasqualina Azzarello, the city’s art coordinator, congratulated Cushing on her appointment, describing her as “a lyric poet inspired by nature and currently focused on the places where life and death meet. Her poems have been published in local, regional and national poetry journals.”

She also said Cushing has been an active member of the Valley’s poetry community since moving to the city in 2000, helping to facilitate poetry readings, literary events, and other gatherings for writers.

And, Azzarello noted, Cushing has been inspired by the city’s overall artistic vibe to “seek out ways to collaborate with fellow writers and artists as well as share poetry in more dynamic formats.”

In an email, Cushing said she was withholding public comment on her appointment and new poetry projects until later this month, possibly at her official inauguration April 22, at 6 p.m. at the ECA Gallery in Old Town Hall.

But she added, “I look forward to continuing the wonderful work of past Poet Laureates Gary Metras, María José Giménez, Jason Montgomery, and Alex Wooler in activating poetry in dynamic ways in Easthampton and beyond.”

Cushing, who serves as the development manager for the Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary, has received funding from the Easthampton Cultural Council and Massachusetts Cultural Council. She was a finalist for the Philbrick Poetry Award of the Providence Athenaeum in 2012 and the Tarantula Poetry Contest of Pilgrimage Journal in 2018.

Spirituality is an important part of her life. She has a website, soulpathsanctuary.com, through which she offers services to people dealing with grief, concerns about the damage to the natural world, and other issues, or for those seeking spiritual guidance. She also maintains a blog on the site.

Cushing’s appointment comes during the city’s annual Poetry Month, which features a range of related events, including during the monthly Arts Walk, which takes place Thursday. Metras will read at Luthier’s Co-op at 7 p.m., while a poetry on demand station and a poetry vending machine will be operating at the ECA Gallery from 5-8 p.m.

Steve Pfarrer can be reached at spfarrer@gazettenet.com.

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