Gerald A. McBreen, a retired U.S. Postal letter carrier and Striped Water Poets coordinator, became the City of Pacific’s first poet laureate.

McBreen accepted the honor Monday evening at a regular city council meeting when Mayor Richard Hildreth read the resolution, which passed unanimously by the seven-member council.

Hildreth said a city needs a poet to help highlight the developments in the city, not only to those within its borders, but to interested parties in the surrounding communities. He also pointed out that 2009 marks Pacific’s centennial year, making a poet laureate even more appropriate.

Hildreth read a statement, which states in part McBreen’s poetic goals:

“I want to bring poetry to the people. That’s why ‘Poetry on Posters’ is so important. I believe if they can see it, they’ll read it. It helps if the poem is of such caliber, it leaves the reader wanting more.

“I try to write something that most people will want to read because it elevates their own experiences to a level of passion they feel and helps them to articulate it in their own words.”

McBreen already has brought poetry to Pacific. In the last few years, he has arranged to have “Poetry on Posters” displayed in Pacific City Hall, Alpac Library and the Senior Center. He was instrumental in helping three Alpac students get their poems published. He also read Christmas poems at Pacific’s second annual tree lighting ceremony.

His biggest success, to his own surprise, is romance. He is published in many romance magazines.

Before he retired he delivered mail in Pacific, Algona, Auburn, Federal Way and Twin Lakes.

McBreen also wrote a column, “Postage Due,” joking about the Postal Service.

His friends like to say he never went “postal,” he went “poetic.”