Each year, the Board of Trustees selects a notable poet as the WWBA Poet of the Year.  They are a nationally known and well-respected poet who champions poetry through their writing, teaching, and support of the Long Island community of poets and their events.

2002 Dan Murray
2002 Norbert Krapf
2003 Maxwell Wheat, Jr.
2003 Siv Cedering
2004 Ray Patterson
2005 Claire Nicolas White
2006 Charles Fishman
2007 Vince Clemente
2008 Susan Astor
2009 Patti Tana
2010 Gladys Henderson
2011 Pramilia Venkatswaren
2012 Mario Susko
2013 Fran Castan
2014 Annabelle Moseley
2015 Graham Everett
2016 Gayl Teller
2017 Tammy Jean Nuzzo-Morgan 
2018 Barbara Reiher-Meyers
2019 J R Turek
2020 Christina M. Rau