New Poetry Box set up in Salisbury to enrich local community

SALISBURY, Md. — A new box was planted in the Paul S. Sarbanes Library garden.

It’s called the Poetry Box and it’s the first of its kind on the Eastern Shore. The post box is designed to enrich the community through poetry of all sorts. That includes poetry from Salisbury’s own community members. Salisbury’s Poet Laureate Nancy Mitchell placed the first poems in the box to celebrate the new addition to the downtown plaza. She tells us that she is grateful for an opportunity like this.

“It is the greatest honor of my life. I’m so humbled that I was chosen to serve my city. I just hope people will write poems and send them to me and celebrate this beautiful city and verse,” Mitchell adds.

After Salisbury’s chief administrator, Julia Glanz, saw a similar box in Wyoming, she shared the idea with Mitchell. The two couldn’t help but share the idea with the city of Salisbury. They took that idea and proposed it to Mayor Jake Day and the library director Seth Hershberger. Mayor Jake Day is also proud to have the poetry box in the area. Thinking of what the box will do in the future, he is excited for what’s to come:

“I think collectively this will tell a tale about our community, and see the collective, wisdom of the community in striving to express what they see in the world. What they see about our world, the beauty that they see, the challenges that they see, the problems, conflicts all through written form,” Mayor Jake Day says.

Even if you’re not a writer, you too can send your poem in. Just email Mitchell at “nancymitchellpoet@gmail.com.” The box will be restocked as needed. Be sure to grab your own poem outside of the library when you visit.