The journey of P.M. Draper, Poet Laureate of Indian River County.
Discover the life and works of P.M. Draper, Indian River County's esteemed Poet Laureate.
P.M. Draper
Is the literary name Patricia ‘Pat’ Draper uses. She has lived on the Treasure Coast since 1978. A semi-retired nurse-practitioner, she joined a local writing group in 2018. Her previous books of poetry include The Tao of Hibiscus and the chapbook After Pyre. The poem ‘A Time Like This’ won second place in the Covid competition sponsored by the Laura Riding Jackson Foundation. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from Queens University in Charlotte, NC. Her third book of poetry, a hybrid memoir/poetry collection, will be published April 7, 2026, titled, The Other Side Of Maybe. She is the current Poet Laureate of Indian River County. In addition to writing, she enjoys cooking and triathlon training with husband Tom. And they both enjoy lounging with Oreo, Boston Terrier extraordinaire.
Education
Employment
MSN, APRN, University of Florida
1995BSN, University of Mississippi
1977
Part-time nurse practitioner
Outpatient cardiology, Cleveland ClinicCurrentFull-time, Heart Failure Clinic
Indian River Medical CenterPreviously
Awards
Indian River County Poet Laureate
Four year term2025Poem, A Time Like This
Second place in Covid Competition, Laura Riding Jackson Poetry Contest, Vero Beach, FL.2021The Tao of Hibiscus - Rebel Magic Press
2020
Readings
Laura Riding Jackson Foundation Writing Center
Debut reading as Indian River County Poet Laureate
from 2024-2028Gallery 14, Vero Beach, FL
Featuring the artwork of Derek Gores, internationally known collage artist. Ekphrastic presentation with thirteen other poets.
The Center for Spirituality and Growth, Vero Beach, FL
Ekphrastic presentation with five other poets, featuring the artwork of Sean and Sharon Sexton, Britt Blair and Steve BradburyGallery 14, Vero Beach, FL
Ekphrastic presentation with six other poets featuring the artwork of Anita Prentice, mosaic artist.