Sleepy Hollow Resident Chosen as First Westchester Poet Laureate

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January 12, 2021

By Rick Pezzullo—

Sleepy Hollow resident B.K. Fischer was named Tuesday as Westchester County’s inaugural Poet Laureate.

Fischer, an author of five books of poetry, was selected by the county and ArtsWestchester over 22 other applicants who sought the position. A panel of poets, writers and county representatives unanimously determined her application to be superior. The appointment is for a two-year term and includes an annual honorarium of $2,500.

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“Fischer and the other finalists prove how much literary talent there is in the county. There was an impressive list of applications, and the panel was presented the arduous task of choosing just one laureate,” Westchester County Executive George Latimer said. “However, everybody agreed that Fischer’s application was not only the most robust, but that she would be an advocate for passing the mic to the voices we don’t get to hear as often in Westchester.”

Besides being an author of five books, Fischer has been a teacher of poetry for more than 25 years. She has taught students in universities, schools, prisons and community centers, including The Hudson Valley Writers Center and the Greenburgh Library. Over the years, she has been active with volunteer teaching and outreach in the Public Schools of the Tarrytowns and performances at Hudson Valley MoCA.

Her poems and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Paris Review, Boston Review, The Los Angeles Review of Books, and other journals.

In her application, Fischer stated she saw role of Poet Laureate as one in which she “would strive to serve and amplify the diverse voices of our communities” She believes “all poetry is dialogue—a conduit not only for expression but for collective energy, empathy, and connection.”