Lacey mayor proclaims Cynthia Pratt the city’s first poet laureate

Mayor Andy Reiter proclaimed former Deputy Mayor Cynthia Pratt the City of Lacey’s first poet laureate in January 2022 and invited her to present a poem to the City Council annually during April in observance of National Poetry Month.

The proclamation, read by Mayor Andy Reiter during a council meeting, cited Pratt’s role as a founding member of the Olympia Poetry Network and described the poet laureate’s role as cultivating “the practices of writing, reading, and appreciation of poetry through example and encouragement.” Reiter said, “I, Andy Reiter, mayor of the city of Lacey, on behalf of the city council, do hereby proclaim Cynthia Pratt to be the first poet laureate for the city.”

The honor was ceremonial; no vote or ordinance was recorded. The proclamation included an invitation that the poet laureate share poetry with the council once a year during the month of April “to promote National Poetry Month.”

After the proclamation, Cynthia Pratt read a newly written poem titled “Forest Walk.” Pratt described the writing prompt she had given to members of the Olympia Poetry Network and read the poem in full. Excerpting her reading, Pratt said, “Finally my walk delayed by heavy snow turned into downpour gloved and covered with a heavy coat to ward off winter's bitter chill takes me to my favorite space where fir and cedar soar,” and concluded by thanking the council.

Pratt’s biography in the proclamation noted her involvement with the Olympia Poetry Network and identified her as a published poet and author; the proclamation framed the appointment as an initiative to encourage community engagement with poetry rather than as a legislative action.

The council did not record any follow-up assignments or funding related to the appointment during the same item. The item functioned as a ceremonial recognition and an arts promotion gesture by the mayor’s office.