Joel Fallon, an architect of poetry in Benicia, died Thursday morning. He was the city’s first poet laureate from 2006 to 2008. (File photo)

Joel Fallon, who had the distinction of being Benicia’s first poet laureate, died Thursday morning, according to an email sent out by current Poet Laureate Johanna Ely. He was 85.

“Joel was a wonderful poet and mentor to many, who gave so much of his wisdom and energy to our community,” Ely wrote. “He will be missed beyond words, and his absence will be greatly felt.”

Born in 1931, Fallon had a long career in the military before he became a full-time poet. At the age of 16, he became an ordinary seaman with the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Afterward, he served as an Army lieutenant colonel with much of his time spent in Korea, Japan, the Philippines and Germany as well as short tours of duty in small African countries. He retired in 1970 and worked as a civilian in military intelligence, where he had a short stint working for the Pentagon’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Fallon retired from military work altogether in 1994 and, along with his wife Carolyn, moved to Benicia, where he told the Herald in 2005 he used to fish as a boy. It was here that Fallon became an active poet, and he spent the next 22 years working to make sure the art form had more of a presence in the city.

The poet laureate had cited Robert Frost, Emily Dickinson and Charles Bukowski as influences on his work, which had touched upon themes of reminiscing about childhood, love and relationships, and the modern world. The history of Benicia was also a common topic of Fallon’s poems, particularly Jack London’s brief period as a resident. Fallon had also published several chapbooks of his work, including “Apple Wind,” “A Gathering of Angels,” “Clean Sheets, Dirty Woman” and “Shanghai Wilson.” He had also released a CD of self-read material in 2010 titled “Fallon Reads Fallon” and was published in several state and local poetry anthologies.

Prior to becoming poet laureate, Fallon helped form the First Tuesday Poetry Group, in which the local wordsmiths meet the first Tuesday of the month in in the Dona Benicia Room of the Benicia Public Library to share their work and discuss poetry, and the annual Poets’ Picnic in the Park, which is set to be held again this afternoon. He also spearheaded the Love Poetry Contest, an annual poetry event held in February.

In 2005, the Benicia Public Library’s Board of Trustees established the office of the poet laureate to place an emphasis on poetry in the city, report on local poetry-related activities to the Board of Trustees and participate in library and civic events. Fallon was nominated by the library board that September and appointed by the City Council in November for a two-year term lasting from 2006 to 2008.

“The important thing is that Benicia has a poet laureate,” Fallon told the Herald in 2005 while he was still being considered for the position, “it’s only of passing interest that I’m in the running.”

After Fallon’s term ended, he remained active in the community continuing to write poetry and promote it among citizens, especially the youth. In 2015, he established the Joel Fallon Poetry Scholarship, which is awarded each year to recent graduates of Benicia High School and Liberty High School with a knack for poetry. He also continued to participate in poetry readings up until his death, including the Alameda Island Poets’ monthly reading at the Green Fare Cafe on Aug. 3, in which he shared a venue with Ely.

Fallon is the second of Benicia’s poets laureate who have died this year. Robert Shelby, who succeeded Fallon from 2008 to 2010, passed away in March.

The Poets’ Picnic in the Park will be held today at City Park from 1 to 4 p.m. Fallon’s family will be present, and attendees are encouraged to read their poetry or bring one of Fallon’s poems to share.

“He would want us to have a good time and celebrate life, and our love of poetry,” Ely wrote.

A memorial is being planned for December, but details are still being worked out.

Sharing is caring!