Submitted by Kathleen Arleth
Somers Point Arts Commission and the City Council established the position of Poet Laureate in 2017. The Commission believes that Somers Point is one of the few cities in New Jersey that recognizes poetry through the position of poet laureate.
While promoting poetry in Somers Point, in 2021, Somers Point’s current Poet Laureate, Erin Castaldi, received national and international recognition for her work in haiku writing. This year Erin was chosen by the Haiku Society of America to edit the Member’s Anthology 2021; it was the largest anthology to date with 445 entries from 27 countries and included 7 distinct title pages each introduced with color images of abstract art designed and formatted by the poet-editor. “It was my goal to further enforce the unique qualities of each haiku as it stands alone, yet thoroughly woven into the anthology to create a work that contains both individual poems that satisfy and encourage deep thought as well as weaving a lilting commonality of sentiment”.
In addition, Erin Castaldi has been awarded two honorable mentions in two international competitions. In the Kaji Aso Studio Haiku Competition 2021 Erin read her poem via Zoom which is available on You Tube. She also was awarded Honorable Mention in the International Haiku Competition 2021 sponsored by Croatia’s Tourist Board.
Throughout 2021Erin has had multiple poems published in approximately a dozen journals, columns, magazines and anthologies. She was the featured poet in June at the Beach Bards Zoom presentation and was included in The First Wave, an anthology published in 2021 by The Beach Bards, based in Sea Isle City. Her haikus were included in Somers Point Unique Experiences Club’s video of Here Comes the Sun event held in April 2021. Locally Erin will have her work on display at the Mays Landing Library through December 2021.
Erin Castaldi will be Somers Point’s Poet Laureate throughout 2022 and will be participating in several of the Arts Commission’s programs and events throughout the year starting in January. Plans are being made to conduct a series of poetry writing sessions Writing Poetry Your Way open to high school students and adults; judging the Somers Point’s 8th Grade Poetry Competition in March; partnering with Somers Point Public School for a 7th Grade poetry writing one-day workshop and participating in Art in the Park in June and Poetry in the Park in August.
