Teresa Cader was appointed Arlington’s fifth Poet Laureate in 2026. An award-winning author of four poetry collections, Cader’s mission is to nourish the sharing and writing of poems community-wide, support local poets, and integrate poetry into the daily life of the Arlington community.
A poet known for her profound ability to weave personal family history into larger historical and global narratives, Cader’s work often explores themes of immigration, trauma, memory, and resilience. Her four poetry collections have garnered numerous awards, and she has served as a faculty member and teacher at several local institutions, including Lesley University, MIT, Emerson College, and UMass-Boston.
About the Poet Laureate Program
The Arlington Poet Laureate Committee attracts area poets to collaborate with town organizations in collaborative projects related to the literary arts. The Poet Laureate is a town-appointed position funded by the Arlington Commission for Arts and Culture.
Poetry Projects on Arts Arlington
Past Poet Laureates
Jean Flanagan
Jean Flanagan served as the fourth Poet Laureate of Arlington, with a term beginning in January 2023. One of the founders of the Arlington Center for the Arts, Flanagan has been a linchpin of our cultural community and a physical manifestation of the ways our lives are inextricably bound.
Learn more about Jean Flanagan here, or visit some of her poetry projects online, including “Small Acts of Kindness” and The Arlington Poets Anthology.
Steven Ratiner
Steven Ratiner served as Arlington’s third Poet Laureate of Arlington beginning in 2019. Faced with an extraordinarily challenging time in our history, including a pandemic that shuttered business and stifled gathering in fellowship, Steven organized a project a project, Red Letter Poems, that touched our lives and brought beauty to our inboxes every week.
Learn more about Steven here and his project Red Letter Poems here!