Poet Laureate

April is National Poetry Month!

At the 2022 Barrie Arts Awards, the Economic & Creative Development department crowned the City's fourth Poet Laureate, Tyneisha Thomas, also known as Ty the Poetess.

The Poet Laureate is a prestigious designation that is selected by a jury and awarded to a candidate that has published works, presented their works at public events or forums, and has been acknowledged for their literary creations by the local community. The Poet Laureate, or “the people’s poet”, acts as a champion for poetry, language, and the arts by raising its profile through public engagements and civic interactions. The Poet Laureate acts as a literary ambassador and works to educate and promote poetry and the literary arts in our city and serves for a four-year term running concurrent to Council’s. 

Annual Poet Laureate Event

Join Ty the Poetess for a special gathering of current and past Poets Laureate to celebrate National Poetry Month on April 18, 2026.

Get full event details

Poetry by Tyneisha Thomas

The below poems by Tyneisha Thomas were read at City Council meetings to recognize National Poetry Month.

Watch the poetry reading at the April 15, 2026 City Council meeting .
What this term has given me can never be taken away
I’ve witnessed closed doors unlocked by open mics, make room for
Emerging voices, budding perspectives and next-generation leaders
I’ve seen how poetry can create a loving community and how this city is
Filled with eager writers

But a Poet Laureate’s power pierces paper prior to penetrating perspectives
And the power of the crown is useless without the support from those
Who bestowed it
It’s important to strengthen and repair relationships, and forgive those
Who have wronged you, while also forgiving yourself
Because homelessness starts in our hearts

A poem is never simple
It is a song, diary entries, long lost memories, it is truth
It can be felt, it can heal, it can be subtle yet influential
Poetry can speak for thousands with one line, a few words
Oh, how many heard their voice in mine through rhymes
Line after line, time after time
Poetic impact outlives the length of the Laureateship
And Laureate legacy isn’t built in two years or even four
It’s a lifetime commitment where impact outlives the writer, with
generations reaping the benefits

Advocacy for me was grounded in fairness, culture, connection and
Creative expression
Paving the way for lives to be transformed and the underrepresented to be
At the forefront

A Poet Laureate is the bridge between:
Family and policy
The stage and the audience
The overcomer and the hopeless
The artist and the corporations

Rap is Poetry! Speak Your Truth, and She Is More
Are how I created safe spaces for community members and Canadian
Leaders to be heard and celebrated
Through poetry, darkness was defeated
I learned along the way that no journey is perfect and growth is not linear
But strength is gained every time you fall and get back up
We must choose to be kind
Because friendships and allies are important, but not more than the
Relationship you have with yourself

I have the learned that Poet Laureateship is not just about the number of poems
You’ve wrote, or the open mics you’ve held, or the awards you’ve won
But it’s about finding the courage
And picking up the pen and writing
Even when it hurts and it’s hard
Never forgetting why you started writing poetry in the first place
Never losing sight of your path in crowds

This crown is beautiful and powerful
But the real journey begins for a poet after it has been passed down
For the legacy after your term lives on, with endless possibilities

This is just the beginning of my poetic testimony
Watch the poetry reading at the April 9, 2025, City Council meeting.
To me, family is more than
the ones I eat with over the holidays.
Family are the people I feel most safe with.
Families know when you are going through something and give you time to heal or space without judgment.
Family are the people I can ugly cry and laugh with.
See, Families are not just the ones branched on my hereditary tree or the ones I share bloodlines with;
but to me, family are the people I feel most safe with.
Family members are the ones who forgive before they receive an apology.
Family, are the ones who teach+ lead without saying "follow me"
Families connect us like wedding bands, forever is the love of family.

According to Webster's dictionary, a Family is defined as a group of individuals related by blood, marriage, or adoption OR a group of individuals who live together under common household authority and have reciprocal duties.
What I take from this, is that families don't always have to share the same last names or hyphened versions;
but that those who choose to live in proximately with each other, share roots that connect them.
We are connected - by communities, shared interests, spiritual connections and friendships.
We are all connected by sending our children to schools in the same district and by feeding our families with goods supplied by the same markets.
Families can share generational curses, but each generation still aims to fulfil the same purpose;
and that's to be better than the last.
That's why we cannot ever forget things that have happened in the past.
Our family members are storytellers of history.
Disconnecting from our family runs the risk of making the same mistakes again.
From way back when tales were told of the power of community that stemmed from the unity of families.
Families are not only connected through bloodlines but by good times, shared time.

By residing here in the city of Barrie, like it or not-we have become a family.
And my family is no longer just a tree, but it is a forest.
And as I grow, I will do my part to help others flourish.
My daughter has her village, and it has only just begun to grow.
The harvest it will bring will glow even in the snow.

My family is no longer just a tree, but it is a forest.
My daughter has her village.
This twig will bark if ever her leaves are trampled on because she knows her history. She knows her roots; she knows that rotted roots can heal and bear fresh fruit.
and most importantly she knows that we are all connected like family.
This seedling soon sapling, knows the nourishment her youth brings and the importance of growing in a good environment.
She knows strong communities are grounded in kindness.
My village knows that accountability is a requirement,
And not taking ownership of one's actions is childish.
My daughter and our youth know that it is important to speak your truth,
they also know that family is given+ chosen if we are lucky enough.

The word family includes anyone who has love for you, even if you are not related;
and the circle of life is not something to ever play with.
As newborns in diapers our family endlessly provides for us;
feeding and bathing us early in life.
And it is our family that cares for us again, when we meet our end, back in diapers.
Our children now care for us like we are their newborns.

My bloodline was waiting for me. They knew the stories they told would lead me to find my voice in poetry.

And now, as the Poet Laureate of Barrie,

I can proudly say how happy I am to have been included in this family.
Watch the poetry reading at the April 17, 2024, City Council meeting.
When I first became Barrie’s Poet Laureate I vowed to be the “People's Poet”
Not just because I liked a crown being placed on my head and the prestigious title being given to me, but because being a voice for people who often are not heard or listened to is important to me.
As the people's poet I can speak up for the ones who were silenced and turned voiceless,
As the people's poet my words can bring purpose to the ones who thought their journey in life was pointless.
Although I often read alone, I am a voice representing our community – a voice consisting of many important identities.
The single mothers, the divorced, the immigrants, the minorities, the disabled people both physically and mentally -
I am a voice that can bring hope to all the beautiful souls living in our community.
So when I write or speak, it's not just about me...
Its about how I can use this voice to bring us all closer together like a family.
Through poetry, I will lead the many who choose to follow me;
To a place engulfed in equality, diversity, love and kindness.
A place where we chose to move forward with positivity and forgiveness.
I write with hope, because we live in a word that is often covered in hopelessness.
I read my poems out loud because I've often felt silenced.
But through all the pain, and all the darkness that can be experienced in life... I still choose to write!
Writer's block cannot stop me,
Writer's block cannot and will not stop me,
Because I am the people's poet.
And it is never just about me, I do not write poetry selfishly.
I write to inspire, I write to uplift
I write to ignite the fire within the citizens in Barrie who feel as though they have lost it.
I write for my daughter, and all the children and youth being raised here.
Each generation has a responsibility to the next, so I write with conviction, intention is found in my text.
I write so that my daughter and the youth may grow and eat ripe fruit, right here.
I write because I choose to live and run to the light, instead of walking in fear.
When I first became Barrie’s Poet Laureate I vowed to be the “Peoples Poet”
Not just because I liked a crown being placed on my head and the prestigious title being given to me, but because being a voice for people who often are not heard or listened to is important to me.
As the people's poet I can speak up for the ones who were silenced and turned voiceless.
As the people's poet my words can bring purpose to the ones who thought their journey in life was pointless.
Although I often read alone, I am a voice representing our community – a voice consisting of many important identities.

Did you know? Art on Transit is a public art initiative presenting unique digital artworks, inspired by an original poem entitled, unexpected destinations, written by Tyneisha Thomas. The artwork is installed on high-profile bus shelters and featured in all ten wards of the city. Read the poem & learn more about the project.

2025 Poet Laureate Highlights

In alignment with Council direction, the following activities were carried out by Tyneisha Thomas as Poet Laureate in 2025, as outlined in an April 2026 memo to Council:

Hosted her inaugural annual Poet Laureate event on March 1, celebrating Black History Month and the contributions of Black artists to the Canadian cultural landscape. The event was hosted in partnership with the Provincial Poet Laureate, Matthew-Ray Jones, aka Testament at Bloom Bistro, engaging 25 hired artists, and saw an attendance of over 100 people.
Collaborated with Lyrica Choir and composer Frank Hozart to create the lyrics for Lyrica’s 25th anniversary production.
Read a new poem Family at Barrie City Council in recognition of National Poetry Month in April.
Hosted and performed at the RVH Staff Poetry event for National Poetry Month. Participated for the second time as a judge for the City of Orillia’s K. Valerie Conner Poetry Competition.
Created and performed a new poem for the community organization Barrie Pride at their annual march and event.
Created a special spoken word poetry video that was showcased at the 2025 Barrie Arts Awards.
Created and read a new poem for Empower Simcoe’s AGM.
Was awarded Barrie Today’s Community Builder Award for the Arts 2025.
Was named one of Canada's Top Black Women to Watch 2025 by Canada International Black Women Excellence.

About Tyneisha Thomas

Photo of Tyneisha Thomas, Barrie's Poet Laureate

Bearing Fruit, Tyneisha’s debut poetry collection, was released in hardcover, paperback, and e-book formats in 2020, and is available on most distribution networks, including Indigo, Amazon, Walmart, Target, Friesenpress, and Barnes and Noble. As a self-published bestselling local author, Tyneisha, also known as Ty the Poetess, plans to use this position to create more works of poetry that are available to the public. Tyneisha intends to use her writing to highlight mental health and motherhood struggles while creating one-of-a-kind poetry concerts in Simcoe County that highlight the entire arts community, as well as literature.

Tyneisha has a vision of hosting events that showcase local poets, rappers, and dancers alongside local businesses, all coming together for the greater good of Barrie. As a Simcoe County Tourism Spark Grant winner, Ty has received mentorship through tourism innovation for this idea and will use the expertise provided to enhance her presentations. Her intention is to attend as many city events as possible and be a staple in Barrie whether it has to do with art or not. To become the Poet Laureate of Barrie is a prestigious position that Ty looks forward to holding with great honour.