AMESBURY — The city’s new poet laureate, Bryan Riley, is no stranger to the poetry community in Carriagetown.
In fact, Riley is the person who brought the poet laureate program to Amesbury when he introduced the concept to the Amesbury Cultural Council 10 years ago.
“When Amesbury’s 350th anniversary was coming up in 2016, I started thinking about the fact that Whittier spent the last part of his life here. Robert Frost had a summer home here. And, I thought maybe we should have a poet laureate,” he said.
At the time, Riley did not want to become poet laureate. But, as the poet laureate committee searched for a replacement for the fourth poet laureate, Lisa Phillips in 2025, things began to change.
“When it first happened, I didn’t want to apply because it felt like nepotism. And then this year, I was serving on the Poet Laureate Support Committee, and we didn’t have any applicants. And, I thought, well we’re coming into our 10th year, I’m not going to let the program die,” he said.
So, Riley applied and eventually other local poets did as well. His application led to an interview before he was officially selected as the city’s fifth poet laureate.
Riley joins a small group of Amesbury poets who have held the title – Lainie Senechal, Stephen R. Wagner, Ellie O’Leary and Phillips.
When reflecting on her time as poet laureate recently, Phillips praised Riley and said she believes the program is in good hands.
“He has the vision for that program. And, I’m excited for him to realize that vision during his tenure. So I feel very confident in passing the torch,” she said.
While being named poet laureate is a new development for Riley, he has been writing poetry for 49 years, since age 10.
Over his decades of writing poetry, Riley has received accolades from the National Library of Poetry and even created a poetic form called “The Amesbury Form”, which consists of a unique rhyming scheme.
Riley has already hit the ground running in his new role and read a poem titled “New Day Dawning” at the annual State of the City address that received a loud round of applause.
As he looks ahead to the future of his work as poet laureate, Riley said he wants to continue promoting the art form in the community.
“I’m hoping this year to do some big events. I want to do a Poetry in the Pines at the gazebo at the park. I want to do a couple of fundraisers, maybe an evening with the poetry on Amesbury TV. And, then start to focus downwards toward reestablishing open mics that were held by previous poet laureates,” he said.