Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom and October 1892, there was a break of four years as a mark of respect; Tennyson's laureate poems "Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington" and "The Charge of the Light Brigade" were particularly cherished by the Victorian public. Five poets, Thomas Gray, Samuel Rogers, Walter Scott, Philip Larkin and Seamus Heaney, turned down the laureateship. The holder of the position as of 2018 is Carol Ann Duffy, who was appointed in May 2009 on a fixed ten-year term. The origins of the poet laureateship date back to 1616 when James I of England granted a pension to
Martha's Vineyard Poet Laureate Poet Laureate officially came into existence on 11 April 2006 by a voice vote at the West Tisbury Annual Town Meeting. Soon afterwards, at the recommendation of an advisory committee formed by the West Tisbury Library, the Selectmen appointed Daniel Waters as the town's first Poet Laureate. Since Daniel Waters selection, there have been two other poets selected to fill the position – Fan Ogilvie, and Justen Ahren. On similar note, in December 2011, the selectmen of the Martha's Vineyard town of Edgartown appointed Steve Ewing as their first Edgartown Poet Laureate, . As documented above – in July 2012