Cecilia Nasmith/Today’s Northumberland
Cobourg poet laureate Ted Amsden attended a special meeting of council this week for the last time, as Jessica Outram was announced as his successor.
Councillor Adam Bureau thanked legislative clerk Brent Larmer, Mayor John Henderson and James Bergeron for their assistance to the ad hoc committee that had submitted the recommendation for the town’s fourth poet laureate.
“I had the fun part – doing the interviews,” Bureau said.
The committee received more than 20 nominations from members of the public, he added, and they reached out to each one. From this group, they narrowed the list down to five highly qualified and talented candidates.
As recently as June, the committee was deliberating, conducting interviews and formulating a recommendation, Bureau said, but they came up with the candidate they thought would do the best job for Cobourg.
Outram is a multi-talented individual who has published memoirs and fiction as well as poetry She is a member of the Playwrights Guild of Canada, is a citizen of the Metis Nation of Ontario, and has worked in local elementary and high schools.
Outram described how she had moved to Cobourg eight years ago because of the vibrant arts community.
“Our town oozes authentic creativity,” she declared.
“Creativity and community – maybe you have experienced it too.
“There’s a thriving arts and writing community, and I feel proud to live here.”
Mayor John Henderson took a moment to recognize Amsden’s achievements during his long tenure in the post – “a stellar performer for an exceptional number of years, representing the Cobourg community in all its silliness, integrity and moments.”
Outram offered her own tribute to her predecessors.
“Eric Winter, Jill Battson and Ted Amsden have left some very big quill inkpots to fill,” she said, before delivering her first poem, a short piece inspired by Archibald MacLeish’s Ars Poetica.
Author: Pete Fisher
Has been a photojournalist for over 30-years and have been honoured to win numerous awards for photography and writing over the years. Best selling author for the book Highway of Heroes - True Patriot Love
