MONTPELIER, Vt. — Baron Wormser, poet, essayist, novelist, and teacher, passed away from brain cancer at his home in Montpelier, Vermont, surrounded by his family on October 7, 2025.
He wished to be remembered for his extensive body of writing, which includes ten books of poetry. Among these is a posthumous volume, *James Baldwin Smoking a Cigarette and Other Poems*, scheduled for release in January. In addition to his poetry collections, Wormser co-authored two books on teaching the art of poetry and wrote a memoir titled *The Road Washes Out in Spring*, which recounts his 23 years living off the grid with his family.
Baron also leaves behind four novels, a book of short stories, and numerous essays published on his Substack, *The Exciting Nightmare*, as well as in the online journal *Vox Populi*, among other outlets.
Throughout his career, Wormser received significant recognition for his work, including grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and the John Guggenheim Foundation. He served as the Poet Laureate of Maine from 2001 to 2005 and was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of Maine at Augusta in 2005.
In addition to his writing, Baron spent much of his life as a high school librarian. He also taught writing at the Stonecoast MFA Program, Fairfield University, and Western Connecticut State University’s MFA program, as well as at the Frost Place. He was widely respected as an inspiring teacher, mentor, and editor to many writers.
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