Juan Pablo Mobili
2026 Rockland County Poet Laureate

The Rockland County Poet Laureate Program is a collaboration between
the Arts Council of Rockland and County Executive, Ed Day.

Upcoming Poet Laureate Events and Programs

Tuesday, October 6, 2026 from 7 - 8:30 PM
Poets of Two Shores - A Poetic Bridge Across the Hudson River
Pearl River United Methodist Church, 130 Franklin Avenue, Pearl River, NY 10965
Join Rockland County Poet Laureate Juan Pablo Mobili, and Village of Mamaroneck Poet Laureate Melissa Joplin Higley for Poets of Two Shores: A Poetic Bridge Across the Hudson River. This poetry reading is part of a series featuring poets from both shores of our river. Come and listen to four contemporary voices, honoring the power of language and the importance of bringing communities together: Amy Holman, Iain Haley Pollock, Ruth Danon, and Mary Lou Buschi.
Register HERE for this hybrid event (in-person and virtual).

Thursday, October 8, 2026 from 12:30 - 2 PM
Empowering Your Sentences in Poetry with Rockland County Poet Laureate Juan Pablo Mobili
Pearl River Library, 75 East Central Avenue, Pearl River, NY 10965
Join our Poet Laureate for a workshop that takes a closer look at the building blocks of strong writing. Explore how thoughtful choices in nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs can make your sentences more vivid, precise, and powerful. Think of it as opening the hood of your writing, and examining the engine of a sentence and discovering what can make it run even stronger.
Register HERE for this in-person event.

Thursday, October 14, 2026 @ 6 PM
Three Essential Elements of a Memorable Poem 2: “Beginnings” with Rockland County Poet Laureate Juan Pablo Mobili
Sparkle Bookstore, 642 Main Street, Sparkill, NY 10976
Join our Poet Laureate for a workshop exploring what makes the beginning of a poem inviting and engaging, and how to draw readers in and encourage them to keep reading.
Register HERE for this in-person event.

The 2026 Poet Laureate is Juan Pablo Mobili, and he will serve as an ambassador for the literary arts, engaging audiences throughout Rockland County and beyond through public readings, civic events, and educational activities.

“Language is the foundation of authentic dialogue, and poetry is one of the most profound uses of language,” said Juan. I am honored to serve as Rockland County’s Poet Laureate and look forward to celebrating the power of words with our community.”

Poet Laureate Curriculum Vitae

Poet Laureate Presents Poem at Rockland County’s 24th
911 Anniversary Ceremony

Families Gather at 24th Anniversary of 9/11 Attack To Toll Bells, Read Names of Loved Ones Lost, Share in Collective Grief and Strength - Rockland County Business Journal

Remembering That September by Rockland County Poet Laureate Juan Pablo Mobili

Watch Rockland County 911 Memorial Ceremony HERE.

Rockland County Poet Laureate Inaugural Event

Rockland County Poet Laureate, Juan Pablo Mobili, launched his 2025 laureateship with a poetry reading, Echoes of the Heart: Life’s Joys & Sorrows, featuring powerful readings by Brian Kates, Kelly Jo Lillian, Marjorie Tesser, Rebecca Watkins, and Juan Mobili at the Valley Cottage Library on February 20th.