Poetry On High: A History of U.S. Poets Laureate

Does your state have its own poet laureate? What do poets laureate do on the job (besides write poetry!)? To celebrate National Poetry Month, join us and explore the history, missions, and activities of U.S. national and state poets laureate. Learn how the position of U.S. Poet Laureate was created and has changed over the years. Presented by the librarians at the Library of Congress.

England's Poet Laureate

Position history from the British Monarchy Web site

http://www.royal.gov.uk/Output/Page1674.asp

Current Poet Laureate, Andrew Motion

http://www.uktouring.org.uk/andrewmotion/

The United States Poet Laureate

About the Position

http://www.loc.gov/poetry/about_laureate.html

Text of law creating the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry

http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode02/usc_sec_02_00000177----000-.html

Laureate Biographies

http://www.loc.gov/poetry/laureate.html

Duties

Letter describing Allen Tate's duties as the Consultant in Poetry, April 27, 1943

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mffbib:@field(DOCID+@lit(mff000038))

National Projects of U.S. Poets Laureate

Several recent Poets Laureate have created national projects during their terms designed to increase the visibility and appreciation of poetry in the United States. These projects are:

Favorite Poem Project - http://www.favoritepoem.org/

The Favorite Poem Project, created by Robert Pinsky, was designed for Americans to share their favorite poems. The Favorite Poem Project web site includes 50 short video documentaries showcasing individual Americans reading and speaking personally about poems they love.

Poetry 180 - http://www.loc.gov/poetry/180/

A project created by Billy Collins in 2002 to make it easy for high school students to hear or read a poem on each of the 180 days of the school year.

American Life in Poetry - http://www.americanlifeinpoetry.org/

Ted Kooser's American Life in Poetry project provides newspapers and online publications with a free weekly column featuring contemporary American poems.

Commemorative Poetry

Billy Collins – "The Names"(written at the request of Congress for its special session at Federal Hall in New York City, September 6, 2002)

http://www.loc.gov/poetry/names.html

Appointment Process

Louise Bogan's Appointment

Robert Penn Warren's letter to Luther Harris Evans offering names for the new Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress, January 26, 1945

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mffbib:@field(DOCID+@lit(mff000078))

Willard Thorp's letter to Luther Harris Evans regarding candidates for Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress, February 8, 1945

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mffbib:@field(DOCID+@lit(mff000081))

Allen Tate's letter includes a list of candidates for the position of Consultant in Poetry, March 26, 1945

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mffbib:@field(DOCID+@lit(mff000084))

Katherine Anne Porter's letter regarding candidates for Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress, April 2, 1945

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mffbib:@field(DOCID+@lit(mff000083))

Katherine Biddle's letter regarding candidates for Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress, April 2, 1945

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mffbib:@field(DOCID+@lit(mff000085))

Paul Green's letter to Robert Penn Warren regarding candidates for Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress, April 3, 1945

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mffbib:@field(DOCID+@lit(mff000080))

Luther Harris Evans' letter to Carl Sandburg announcing Louise Bogan's appointment as the Library of Congress Poetry Consultant, July 12, 1945

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mffbib:@field(DOCID+@lit(mff000087))

Robert Frost Reads at John F. Kennedy's Inauguration (January 20, 1961)

"Dedication"

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/mcc:@field(DOCID%2B@lit(mcc/088))

Transcript of "Dedication":

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/inauguration/frost_poem.html

"The Gift Outright"

http://www.bartleby.com/73/475.html

U.S. State Poets Laureate

U.S. State Poets Laureate Web site

http://www.loc.gov/rr/main/poets/

Appointment Process; Duties; other FAQs

http://www.loc.gov/rr/main/poets/faq.html

Current State Poets Laureate

http://www.loc.gov/rr/main/poets/current.html