The City of St. John’s has appointed George Murray as its new poet laureate, a position he will hold for the next four years.

Murray is the author of six poetry collections, including Whiteout and The Glimpse: Selected Aphorisms (both by ECW Press). This spring he will publish his first children’s book, Wow Wow and Haw Haw (Breakwater Books), illustrated by Michael Pittman.

From 2003 to 2011, Murray was editor and publisher of the literary website Bookninja.com. He reviews poetry and fiction for The Globe and Mail and has been a part-time faculty member at the University of Toronto, The New School University, and Humber College. He is a former poetry editor of the Literary Review of Canada.

Murray is the city’s third poet laureate, following Tom Dawe (2010“2013) and Agnes Walsh (2006“2009).