STONINGTON — The town made history during National Poetry Month — twice in one day.

On April 23, under the advisement of the Stonington Cultural District Commission, the Board of Selectmen officially established the position of Stonington Poet Laureate. Then they appointed Mason's Island resident Christie Max Williams as the first person to ever be named to the position.

"It is deeply satisfying to be Stonington's first poet laureate," said Williams in an email Friday afternoon. "I consider it a great honor, but also an important responsibility and unique opportunity to bring poets and poetry to touch the lives of folks in all the neighborhoods in our town's community."

Residents should expect good things from their poet laureate, added Williams.

It could be argued that, for 15 years, Christie Max Williams was THE face of poetry in southeastern Connecticut — and not because of his own poetry.

The 2022 William Meredith Award for Poetry is shared by Mystic's Christie Max Williams for his upcoming collection "The Wages of Love" and Anne Harding Woodworth of Washington, D.C., for her compilation "Trouble," the William Meredith Foundation announced Monday.