Connecticut Poet Laureate Marilyn Nelson (2001-2006)
Marilyn Nelson, of Storrs, was appointed State Poet Laureate by
the Connecticut Commission on the Arts on June 28, 2001. She will
serve a five-year term in the honorary position, which was created
by the General Assembly to recognize a Connecticut poet of the
highest distinction. She succeeds Leo Connellan, and his
predecessor, James Merrill.
Marilyn Nelson is the author of six books of poetry, two children’s
collections, and several chapbooks. Her work has also appeared in
numerous anthologies and literary collections. She has been
described as “a poet of stunning power, able to bring alive the most
rarified and subtle of experiences.”