City of Saratoga Springs Names New Poet Laureate

SARATOGA SPRINGS — Saratoga Springs Mayor John Safford officially appointed Jay Rogoff as the next Saratoga Springs poet laureate at the Sept. 16 city council meeting. Rogoff’s two-year term will begin in January, when he will succeed Joseph Bruchac, the city’s first poet laureate.

Rogoff will promote arts enrichment, conduct writing workshops for adults and children, write poems to commemorate city events and celebrations, and encourage people of all ages, perspectives, and skill levels to see the shared human experience in poetry. 

The author of seven books of poems, Rogoff has also published widely as a reviewer of poetry and dance, including coverage of the New York City Ballet for WAMC Radio. He is the recipient of a Pushcart Prize for poetry and the Lewis P. Simpson Award for criticism. His poems have appeared in leading national journals such as the “Kenyon Review,” “Ploughshares,” and the “Yale Review.” His poems have also been published internationally in “POEM,” “Poetry London,” and “Poetry Review.” For many years, Rogoff taught at Skidmore College. 

“I’ll be proud to continue the tradition Joe Bruchac has so enthusiastically begun,” Rogoff said in a statement released by the mayor’s office. “Especially in a divisive time like ours, poetry can offer a view into the workings of our minds and hearts, furthering our mutual understanding. In particular, as we anticipate the 250th anniversaries of the Declaration of Independence and the Battle of Saratoga, we can explore together how poetry can unite us by embodying the American ideal of free expression.”

“I cannot think of anyone better qualified to be the next Poet Laureate of Saratoga Springs than Jay Rogoff,” said Bruchac. “Considering the fact that Saratoga is the home of literally dozens of excellent, well-published poets, that is saying something. Jay is not just a gifted poet, but also a person widely at home in the world of the performing arts. His warm personality makes him an engaging reader of his poetry. As an ambassador for poetry and his hometown, I have no doubt that Jay will be exceptional.”