Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom office. Dryden's successor, Thomas Shadwell, was appointed in 1689 for life. He introduced the custom of producing poems for the new year and the monarch's birthday, which became one of the key duties of the position. After the appointment of William Wordsworth in 1843 the duties settled into an expectation, not requirement, for major court and national occasions. Alfred, Lord Tennyson held the post between November 1850 and October 1892. According to Andrew Motion and Hilary Laurie, Tennyson "gave the poet laureateship new status and significance" with works such as "Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington" and
Martha's Vineyard Poet Laureate Reisman also writes a column, "The Washashore Chronicles", for the local Vineyard Gazette newspaper. He spends his spare time writing plays, walking his dog, and composing poetry. One of the first community based projects Arnie Reisman initiated as MV Poet Laureate, was to create and host a monthly "Poetry Cafe'" at the newly renovated Vineyard Playhouse. While hosting the Poetry Cafe', Reisman blends interludes of his poetry with that of three poets selected from the island poetry community. The hour-and-a-half event includes social time with deserts and beverages before and after the event's poetry readings. Martha's Vineyard has a history