Malibu Poet Laureate

Malibu Poet Laureate Ann Buxie was appointed by the City Council on August 23, 2021, to serve as the 2021-2023 Poet Laureate.

Ms. Buxie has hosted Tales by the Sea since 1995, a program for literary artists to share their stories, and shortly thereafter expanded the program to include poetry readings as By the Sea events. Her passion for community engagement led to the creation of the City's Malibu Poet Laureate program, and she has assisted with other successful poetry programs such as Caffeinated Verse, Poetry Stones at City parks, and Verse About Town while serving on the Poet Laureate Committee. During her term, Ms. Buxie plans to generate interest in poetry by focusing on Malibu's mission to preserve its ecological relationship with the land by calling on local poets to help foster that mission. She plans to enhance the Arts and Education program while focusing on various collaborations with visual and literary artists.

Questions related to the Poet Laureate program or arts programming may be directed to Kristin Riesgo, Community Services Deputy Director. 

Past Poet Laureates


  • Dr. John Struloeff October 12, 2019 - June 1, 2021
  • Ellen Reich March 28, 2019 - April 1, 2020
  • Ricardo Means Ybarra March 28, 2017 – March 27, 2019

Ann Buxie Malibu Poet Laureate

Verse About Town


Local poets are encouraged to submit their work to be featured in the Malibu Poet Laureate Committee's program, Verse About Town. Poetry is displayed monthly at City Parks. Visit the program webpage for additional details and submit poems through the City's online form center.


Poetry Stones at Legacy Park

In 2018, the Cultural Arts Commission and Parks and Recreation Commission approved the placement of two poetry stones at Legacy Park. The stones were placed in honor of the City’s first Poet Laureate, Ricardo Means Ybarra, and recognized the importance of poetry and literary arts to Malibu. Mr. Ybarra was recognized as the first Poet Laureate with a stone that contains a portion of his poem, America. The second stone included the poem, Thank You, by Mandy Mulligan, a graduate of Juan Cabrillo Elementary School, part of the City’s Arts in Education program. The stone installation of the City’s second Poet Laureate Ellen Reich, took place on October 8, 2020.  Her black Belgian stone is an appropriate fit for the native park and includes her poem, Interruption of Bird.

 

All of the poetry stones are located at Legacy Park. Mrs. Reich’s poetry stone is placed opposite of Mr. Ybarra’s, near the amphitheater overlooking the water, which was selected due to its purpose as a place for creativity and location for cultural events. Ms. Mulligan’s stone is placed in the amphitheater containing multiple mosaic animal sculptures.