Three things to know About Lynbrook’s first-ever poet laureate, Edward Field

The Village of Lynbrook appointed its first official poet laureate — Edward Field, a 101-year-old celebrated poet and World War II veteran. Village Historian Art Mattson recommended the honor, describing Field as “a Lynbrook son” whose literary achievements and life story continue to inspire.

Here are three things to know about the man behind the title.

1. He grew up in Lynbrook and graduated from Lynbrook High School

Field was born in Brooklyn in 1924, but his family moved to Lynbrook when he was a child. He attended local schools and graduated from Lynbrook High School in 1941. Mattson said Field grew up in a home on Starks Place and later confirmed that the poem "Prolog," from his award-winning book "Stand Up, Friend, With Me," was set in his childhood bedroom, overlooking the village.

“He confirmed to me that the setting of this poem is the upstairs window of his home on Starks Place,” Mattson told the board. “That’s his boyhood home, where he could look out and contemplate all things, from the crossroads that would be the five corners to the fish-shaped island that we live on, to the entire universe.”

2. He’s a decorated war hero and nationally honored poet

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Field left New York University to enlist in the U.S. Army Air Forces. He flew 25 bombing missions as a navigator in a B-17 bomber during World War II. His plane was shot down over the North Sea, and several of his crewmates were killed. He survived the crash in a life raft and was rescued hours later.

“He was a war hero,” Mattson said. “He flew 25 bombing missions. It’s not likely to happen either.”

Field went on to publish 12 books of poetry, edit anthologies, and teach at Sarah Lawrence College and Hofstra University. In 1962, he received the Lamont Poetry Prize—one of the most prestigious literary awards in the country—for "Stand Up, Friend, With Me."

3. His work has uplifted voices and communities for decades

Though he has lived in Manhattan for decades, Field’s connection to Lynbrook remains part of his story. Mattson noted that while Field faced antisemitism growing up on Long Island, he still chose to include his Lynbrook home in a central piece of his work. He also wrote the narration for "To Be Alive!," a short documentary that won an Academy Award in 1966.

Field turned 100 in June 2024 and still resides in the Westbeth Artists Community in New York City. The village’s decision to honor him as poet laureate, Mattson said, came from recognizing the exceptional scope of his life and work.

“I don’t think there’s anybody someone could nominate that could come close,” he said.