Recognition is just the latest for acclaimed city poet.

Date published: 8/26/2008

Claudia Emerson was in her University of Mary Washington office preparing for fall classes when colleague Steve Watkins shouted down the hall, "You're the poet laureate!"

It wasn't entirely a surprise. "I had a clue this was coming," she said. Still, she had just heard the news from Watkins and read the e-mail announcing the appointment when a reporter called.

She already has ideas for what to do as laureate, including setting up a Web site similar to that of her predessor in the honorary post, Mary Washington alumna Carolyn Kreiter-Foronda.

Emerson planned to brainstorm more after she had time to digest the news.

"We'll see what happens," she said. "It's not like I have an office in Richmond I have to go to tomorrow."

She's delighted with her new role.

"I'm quite honored and very excited," she said. "I'll try to be a good representative for poetry and Fredericksburg and our wonderful state."

- Laura Moyer, The Free Lance-Star

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Date published: 8/26/2008