Poets Laureate of the United States of America

Officially the country's literary advocate.
To strive to raise the nation's appreciation of the reading and writing of poetry. Specific duties are minimized so that appointees have the greatest freedom to develop their own projects.
Not a political appointee.
Appointed by the Librarian of Congress, who consults with others (such as the current Laureate, former appointees, and poetry critics) before making the choice.
Given an annual stipend ($35,000 in 2003), funded by gift from Archer M. Huntington.
Invited to give an annual lecture and reading of one's own poetry.
Usually the introducer of poets in the Library's annual poetry series of public poetry and fiction readings, lectures, etc., which began in the 1940's.
Awarded the position for one year.
Eligible for reappointment, serving from October to May.

Before that, from 1937 to 1985, the Librarian of Congress had authority to appoint someone to Library of Congress Poetry Position, the post of "Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress." The name was changed by an act of Congress in 1985.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) on the Poets Laureate of the United States of America.

What does "Laureate" mean?
The name Laureate derives from the Latin laureatus ("crowned with laurel"). It comes from an ancient Roman tradition of honoring a person (especially a poet) who has shown excellence of achievement. The honor is signified by presenting the person with a wreath of laurel leaves.

Even though the Poets Laureate are not political appointees, don't they just echo the administrations policies?
No, they express their own opinions. For example:

Poet Laureate Billy Collins and former U.S. Poet Laureate Richard Wilbur (with others) signed an anti-war petition in January 2003, opposing the administrations intended invasion of Iraq.
First Lady Laura Bush (see White House Fears Poetry) canceled a poetry symposium she had planned for February 12, 2003 "Poetry and the American Voice," for discussions of the works of Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes, and Walt Whitman. Former Poets Laureate Stanley Kunitz and Rita Dove were among those who declined to attend.

In February 2003 a web report at http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0206-07.htm showed the following:

Published on Thursday, February 6, 2003 by the Associated Press U.S. Poet Laureate Opposes War with Iraq by Hillel Italie NEW YORK - The threatened war with Iraq has politicized the nation's poets, starting at the very top. In comments rarely heard from a sitting U.S. poet laureate, Billy Collins has publicly declared his opposition to war and says he finds it increasingly difficult to keep politics out of his official job as literary advocate. ... A spokeswoman for the Library of Congress said Tuesday that Mr. Collins is free to express his own opinions on any subject. Collins, whose books include Questions About Angels and Nine Horses, is a mostly introspective poet who doesn't have a history of political activism. But he defended anti-war poets who last week caused the White House to postpone a symposium sponsored by first lady Laura Bush. "If political protest is urgent, I don't think it needs to wait for an appropriate scene and setting and should be as disruptive as it wants to be," Collins said in a recent e-mail to The Associated Press. "I have tried to keep the West Wing and the East Wing of the White House as separate as possible because I support what Mrs. Bush has done for the causes of literacy and reading. But as this country is being pushed into a violent confrontation, I find it increasingly difficult to maintain that separation."

Sketches on the Poets Laureate of the United States of America, in chronological order

Also, see our lists of Poets Laureate in Alphabetic Sequence.

Each Laureate brings a different emphasis to the position.

Robert Penn Warren (1986-1987).
Richard Wilbur (1987-1988).
Howard Nemerov (1988-1990).
Mark Strand (1990-1991).
Joseph Brodsky (1991-1992).
Joseph Brodsky initiated the idea of providing poetry in public areas (airports, supermarkets, etc.).
Mona Van Duyn (1992-1993).
Rita Dove (1993-1995).
Rita Dove championed children's poetry, jazz with poetry, and the exploration of the African diaspora.
Robert Hass (1995-1997).
Robert Hass organized the "Watershed" conference, which brought together poets, prose writers, and storytellers to share their poems and other writing about nature and community.
Robert Pinsky (1997-2000).
First appointee to serve three consecutive terms. Robert Pinsky is a poet, scholar, translator, and poet. At his own appointment, he said, "American poetry has been one of our great national achievements."
Stanley Kunitz (2000-2001).
Appointed in his 95th year, after a long life as a poet, translator, editor, and inspiring teacher, Stanley Kunitz has mentored several generations of poets.
His ten books of poetry include "Passing Through: The Later Poems, New and Selected," "Next-to-Last Things: New Poems and Essays ," and "The Poems of Stanley Kunitz, 1928-1978," (winner of the Pulitzer Prize).
Billy Collins (2001-2003).
Poet and teacher Billy Collins writes poems that are particularly accessible and often both humor and thoughtful.
His books of poetry include: "Sailing Alone Around the Room," "Picnic, Lightning," "The Art of Drowning" (a Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize finalist), "Questions About Angels" (a National Poetry Series selection).
Louise Glück (2003-2004).
Ted Kooser (2004-2006).
Ted Kooser lives is rural Nebraska. He wrote eight books of poetry and then the unusual and appealing Braided Creek: A Conversation in Poetry with his friend and fellow writer Jim Harrison.
This year (2004) he published Delights and Shadows, filled with poetry of the physical place and things of this world.
He has also written the memoir Local Wonders: Seasons in the Bohemian Alps, about his life in eastern Nebraska.
Donald Hall (2006-2007).
Charles Simic (2007-2008).
Kay Ryan: see her web page (2008-2010).
W.S. Merwin: see his web page (2010-2013).
Levine, Philip (2011-present).

Not-quite Poets Laureate of the United States of America: the Consultants in Poetry to the Library of Congress.

From 1937 to 1985, the Librarian of Congress had authority to appointed the following to the "Library of Congress Poetry Position."

Joseph Auslander, 1937-1941 (appointed for indefinite period).
Allen Tate, 1943-1944
Robert Penn Warren, 1944-1945
Louise Bogan, 1945-1946
Karl Shapiro, 1946-1947
Robert Lowell, 1947-1948
Leonie Adams, 1948-1949
Elizabeth Bishop, 1949-1950
Conrad Aiken, 1950-1952 (first appointee to be reappointed for a second term)
William Carlos Williams (appointed 1952 but did not serve)
Randall Jarrell, 1956-1958
Robert Frost, 1958-1959
Richard Eberhart, 1959-1961
Louis Untermeyer, 1961-1963
Howard Nemerov, 1963-1964
Reed Whittemore, 1964-1965
Stephen Spender, 1965-1966
James Dickey, 1966-1968
William Jay Smith, 1968-1970
William Stafford, 1970-1971
Josephine Jacobsen, 1971-1973
Daniel Hoffman, 1973-1974
Stanley Kunitz, 1974-1976
Robert Hayden, 1976-1978
William Meredith, 1978-1980
Maxine Kumin,1981-1982
Anthony Hecht, 1982-1984
Robert Fitzgerald, 1984-1985 (health-limited, he did not come to the Library of Congress; concurrently, Reed Whittemore was appointed as Interim Consultant in Poetry).
Gwendolyn Brooks, 1985-1986. She contributed particularly by meeting with elementary school children and encouraging their poetry writing.

Links.

Related Books.

The Best American Poetry: 2004,
Editor Lyn Hejinian.
The Best American Poetry: 2003,
Editor Yusef Komunyakaa.
Verses of the Poets Laureate: from John Dryden to Andrew Motion, by Phillis Levin (Editor) and Andrew Motion (Introduction).
The Best American Poetry: 2002, Editor Robert Creeley.
The Best American Poetry: 2001, Editor Robert Hass.
The Best American Poetry: 2000, Editor Rita Dove.
The Best American Poetry: 1999, Editor Robert Bly.
Other Books of Poetry Form.

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