Below is a list of poets with ties to Solano County, having lived here, were born here, served as poets laureate here, or currently do so. If you would like to be added to this list, please send a short message to vallejopoetrysociety@gmail.com explaining your connection to Solano County, your name or pen name, and include a link to your website if applicable.
You do not have to be famous, published, or a performer to be included on this list. If you write poetry, you’re a poet.
We are happy to add you to our list if you are a poet who has lived in or was born in Vallejo, Benicia, Fairfield, Dixon, Vacaville, Rio Vista, Suisun City, Allendale, Elmira, Green Valley, Hartley, Bahia, Birds Landing, Bucktown, Collinsville, Cordelia, Maine Prairie, Rockville, or Scandia, California.
Poets Laureate of Benicia
- Kathy Monroe, 2024-2026
- Mary Susan Gast, 2020-2023
- Thomas Stanton, 2018-2020
- Johanna Ely, 2016-2018
- Don Peery, 2014-2016
- Lois Requist, 2012-2014
- Ronna Leon, 2010-2012
- Robert Shelby, 2008-2010 (1935-2016)
- Joel Fallon, 2006-2008 (1931-2016)
Poets Laureate of Fairfield
- Michael J. Wyly, 2025-2026
- Suzanne Bruce, 2022-2024
- Bonnie DiMichele, 2020-2022
- Juanita J. Martin, 2010-2012
Poets Laureate of Vallejo
- Erik Manuel Soto, 2026-2027
- Kathleen Herrmann & Jacalyn Eyvonne, 2024-2025
- Jeremy Snyder, 2020-2023
- D.L. Lang, 2017-2019
- Genea S. Brice, 2015-2017
Suisun City Poet Laureate
- 50th Excalibur (David Camper) 2022
Poets from Solano County
- Elmaz Abinader
- Tony Aldarondo, Hummingword Press
- Liv Anderson
- Melody Anderson-Brumidis
- Rae Armantrout, 2010 Pulitzer Prize in Poetry for Versed
- Lori Lynn Armstrong
- Kyrah Ayers, founder of Poetry by the Bay
- Daniel Badiali, co-founder of Vallejo Poetry Society
- Ella deCastro Baron
- Daniel Belcher
- Peter Bray
- Elaine Brown a.k.a. Poetespoken
- Linda S. Bryant
- Edgar-Arturo Camacho-González, founder of El Comalito Collective
- Jeremy Cantor
- Lei Kim Sawyer Chavez
- Philip Dow
- Ray Davis
- James B. Earley
- Kay Flavell
- Carolyn Fallon
- Lorraine Ferra
- Wayne Goodman, founder of Queer Words Podcast
- Carol Gieg
- Beth Grimm
- Lisa Gutierrez-Wilson
- Dorsetta Hale, Pacifica Poet Laureate, 2014-2016
- Morgan Hannigan
- Breanna Hardy, founder of Solano Writers Society
- Cynaka Harper a.k.a. GO-284
- Pamela G. Herron
- Valdez Hill
- Georgette Howington
- Travis Jackson, Jr.
- Dorine Jennette
- Sophie Klahr
- Jeff Kingman
- Mary Julia Klimenko
- Charles Kruger
- Aqueila M. Lewis-Ross
- Lucinda Lees
- Mosetta Rose London
- Bob Marcacci
- Myra Nissen
- Ayodele Nzinga, Poet Laureate of Oakland, 2021-2023
- Myrle Olson, co-author of Marginal and Footnote Poetry with Kathy Metcalfe
- April Ossman
- Dwayne Parish, Richmond Poet Laureate, 2012-2014
- Kelliane Parker
- Alma Perez
- Chris Pogue a.k.a. C-POW
- Anna Quismorio
- Hadi Paul Reinhertz
- Paul Richards, Estuary Press
- Bobby Richardson
- Dan Ryken
- Dr. Gina Rizzo a.k.a. Regina Sparrow
- Nina Serrano, KPFA & KZCT radio host
- Darrell g. h. Schramm
- Deb Sica
- Woody Shiflett
- Tracy K. Smith, U.S. Poet Laureate, 2017-2019
- Erika Snyder, co-founder of Vallejo Poetry Society
- Stephen Sharpe, Richmond Poet Laureate
- Heidy Steidlmayer
- Diana Tenes
- Keith Thompson, host of Poetry by the Bay
- A.P. Thurston
- Amber Von Nagel
- Julie Voice
- Gail Wasserman
- Jeffrey Williams
- Carmen White
- Becky Bishop White
- Lee Lee “Ain’t Misbehavin'” Wiley
- Lois Wu
Solano County Poets In Memoriam
- Jonathan Balandra (1976-2020)
- Dr. Henry Meade Bland, California Poet Laureate, 1929-1931 (1863-1931)
- Stephen Davidson, author of Soft Songs (1943 – 2006)
- Quinton Duval (1948 – 2010)
- Helen B. Glass, winner of 1975 World of Poetry contest (1916 – 2000)
- Q.R. Hand (1937-2020)
- J.W. Hawkins, author of I Feel a Poem Coming on (1906-1995)
- Wm. Holsten, listed as Vallejo’s Poet Laureate in 1914
- Joanne Kyger (1934-2017)
- Barbara Luck, author of How Big is Home (1952-2023)
- Edwin Markham, Oregon Poet Laureate, 1923-1931 (1852-1940)
- Kathy Metcalfe, author of Signs of Life (1925 – 2009)
- Chip O’Brien, author of Horse Apples (1946 – 2023)
- Carol Pearlman (1936 – 2023)
- Jack Olin Palmer, author of Joy of Living (1892 – 1956)
- Mrs. Marion G. Perry ( 1858 – 1917)
- Elsie Robinson (1883-1956)
The following poets listened in memoriam were members of the Redwood Writers Club founded in 1947 in Vallejo which met until 1960, holding teas, hosting contents, reading on KVON, and their works appeared in the local newspapers for Poetry Day celebrations in October.
- Alethe Berry (1896-1980)
- Vilate Primrose Dodson (1885-1977)
- Marion W. Garibaldi (1906-1981)
- Margaret Garrelts (1911-1998)
- Lena Gray Gordon (1890-1958)
- Oscar Mann (O.E. Chambers) (1890-1968)
- Irma Meyers (Irma B. Arthur) (1895 – 1982)
- Irene M. Storey (1887-1955)
- Elaine Swain, author of Shadows of Thought (1914-2008)
- Robert Tarleton, Jr. (1910-1988)