The Circle of Poets of Trinidad and Tobago together with the office of the Mayor of Port of Spain, appointed the first Poet Laureate of the City in the year 2000. Below shows the history of those who have carried, since its inception, the title:
"Poet Laureate of the City of Port of Spain"
"Poet Laureate of the City of Port of Spain"
A.M. Clarke
Alfred McDonald Clarke (1912-2001) was the author of several poems and short stories and was a regular contributor to the Literary Section of the Trinidad Guardian in the 1930s. In 1943, he published the first anthology of Trinidad poems which included the work of others. In 1999 he was awarded "Poet of the City of Port-of-Spain Award" (Port of Spain City Corporation). In 2000, he was named the first Poet Laureate of the City of Port-of-Spain. His published works include: Best Poems of Trinidad (1943).
Eintou Pearl Springer
Eintou Pearl Springer is a poet, author, storyteller, an award winning actress and an activist. Audiences around the world have been inspired by Ms. Springer's unique brand of poetry. She served as Poet Laureate of Port of Spain from 2002-2009 and holds the distinct honour of being the first national of Trinidad and Tobago to perform her poetry at the prestigious Edinburgh Festival.
Eintou, is also the recipient of the Humming Bird Silver Medal for her contribution to the development and propagation of Arts and Culture. An award-winning actress, she was awarded the Vanguard Award of the National Drama Association of Trinidad and Tobago (NDATT) in 2004. Another significant highlight of her career is the creation of the National Heritage Library of Trinidad and Tobago an institution which she holds the distinct honour of creating and developing.
As an author, she has published five books of poetry, ‘Loving the Skin I'm In', ‘Moving into the Light', ‘Out of the Shadows' and ‘Focussed', as well as stories for children entitled ‘God Child'.
Eintou, is also the recipient of the Humming Bird Silver Medal for her contribution to the development and propagation of Arts and Culture. An award-winning actress, she was awarded the Vanguard Award of the National Drama Association of Trinidad and Tobago (NDATT) in 2004. Another significant highlight of her career is the creation of the National Heritage Library of Trinidad and Tobago an institution which she holds the distinct honour of creating and developing.
As an author, she has published five books of poetry, ‘Loving the Skin I'm In', ‘Moving into the Light', ‘Out of the Shadows' and ‘Focussed', as well as stories for children entitled ‘God Child'.
Anson Gonzalez
Anson Gonzalez began his career as a poet in the 1960's. Since then his poems have been published in numerous journals, newsletters, newspapers, and anthologies. In the early ’70s he began his life’s work of promoting poetry and the literary culture of the Caribbean, and Trinidad and Tobago in particular. In 1973 he founded, edited, and published The New Voices, a bi-annual literary journal that has published poems, plays, short stories, and non-fiction by more than 300 Caribbean writers.
In 1974 he established a publishing imprint called New Voices that published a number of important books by Caribbean writers. The New Voices Newsletter was founded in 1981 and served the Caribbean writing community for 12 years by providing information about writers, literary competitions, grants, and workshops. He has conducted creative writing classes throughout the Caribbean, organized numerous literary competitions and poetry readings, obtained and awarded prizes to writers, and provided scholarships to writers’ workshops. He has been awarded the Writers’ Union Writer of the Year Award (1988), and honoured for his services to the Caribbean literary community by the University of Miami.
In 2015, Anson was inscribed into the Memory of the World Register for the Caribbean and Latin America, Awarded via UNESCO Committee. This is his acceptance speech via video from Cardiff Whales where Anson spent time with his family before he succumb to illness on September 6th, 2015.
In 1974 he established a publishing imprint called New Voices that published a number of important books by Caribbean writers. The New Voices Newsletter was founded in 1981 and served the Caribbean writing community for 12 years by providing information about writers, literary competitions, grants, and workshops. He has conducted creative writing classes throughout the Caribbean, organized numerous literary competitions and poetry readings, obtained and awarded prizes to writers, and provided scholarships to writers’ workshops. He has been awarded the Writers’ Union Writer of the Year Award (1988), and honoured for his services to the Caribbean literary community by the University of Miami.
In 2015, Anson was inscribed into the Memory of the World Register for the Caribbean and Latin America, Awarded via UNESCO Committee. This is his acceptance speech via video from Cardiff Whales where Anson spent time with his family before he succumb to illness on September 6th, 2015.