New Poet Laureate Takes Over In Arlington

ARLINGTON, MA — Resident Teresa Cader has been named as the next Poet Laureate of Arlington.

Cader will become the fifth laureate in the history of the town, as the position was first established in 2014. The laureate has the duty of advancing the interest in literary arts in the community and recognizing the achievements of residents.

The five-member Poet Laureate Committee reportedly selected Cader due to her extensive resume that features being the author of four award-winning poetry collections.

Cader is a first-generation American whose father immigrated from Poland. She attended Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania before going on to earn a Master’s degree in Art from the University of Wisconsin and eventually a Master of Public Administration degree from the Harvard Kennedy School.

“We chose Teresa Cader because we were impressed with her ambitious and vivid poetry; in particular, her works with a connection to Arlington,” Poet Laureate Committee Chair Lidia Kenig Scher said. “We recognized her stellar credentials and accomplishments in the field of poetry as well as her collaborative spirit and already substantial contributions to the community of poets with her engagement in the events and projects of the fourth Poet Laureate.”

Cader’s four major published collections span more than 30 years, with the most recent one, “At Risk,” releasing in 2024. Throughout her career, Cader has received two fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and has received awards from the Massachusetts Cultural Council, Bunting Institute at Radcliffe, and the MacDowell Colony. She has spent time teaching her craft at multiple local institutions including MIT, Lesley University, and Emerson College.

Cader expressed gratitude for her new position and said she was honored to assume it.

“I believe that communal sharing of poetry connects people to each other. Poems reveal what makes us human across time, history, culture, and geography,” Cader said. “Together we're all embarking on an exciting phase of connecting our communities to the life-giving art of poetry. What a beautiful opportunity I've been given.”

Cader’s term was effective on Wednesday, April 1. She succeeds Jean Flanagan who held the role for three years.

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