![]() ![]() ![]() Hoffman paid tribute to William Jay Smith, 1968–1970, a poet he much admired, and read Smith’s “The World Below the Window.” He then read eight of his poems, including “Reasons,” a love poem to his late wife. She also read “The Bridgetower,” a tribute to the friendship of biracial violinist George Polgreen Bridgetower and Ludwig van Beethoven.ĭaniel Hoffman, 1973–1974, said the anthology was “a great doorstopper of a book.” The purpose of the book, he said, was to introduce the reader to the poetry in its pages and to encourage people to turn to other books by the Poets Laureate/Consultants in Poetry. Clinton Presidential Library in Arkansas. “The love of his poems has sustained me,” she said.įrom her own work, Dove read “This Life,” a poem that celebrates books and libraries, which she recited at the opening of the William J. There was a quiet power I found in her poems.” She read Bogan’s “Medusa” and Hayden’s “Homage to the Empress of the Blues.” Dove said she enjoyed the musicality and irony of Hayden’s poems. Dove said, “Louise Bogan was quite a seminal influence for me. ![]() “We’re all changing light bulbs.”ĭove saluted Louise Bogan, 1945–1946, and Robert Hayden, 1976–1978. “You should see the atmosphere in the back,” she said, referring to the poets offstage. Rita Dove, 1993–1995, was the second laureate to approach the stage. Collins read Nemerov’s “Money: An Introductory Lecture.” Collins, who was Poet Laureate from 2001 to 2003, followed “Money” with three poems of his own, including “Sonnet,” “Forgetfulness” and “A Portrait of the Reader with a Bowl of Cereal.” “They taught me that it was OK to allow a sense of humor into your poems,” he said. Billington if he had any light-bulbs that needed changing, because we have seven poets laureate, and we can do it.”Ĭollins paid tribute to Howard Nemerov, who twice served as top poet, from 1963 to 19 to 1990, and to Karl Shapiro, 1946–1947. He even started with a nod to a classic joke: “I asked Dr. Billington, the lineup started with Collins, who brought his well-known sense of humor to the stage. ![]() The 816-page book is published by the Library of Congress in cooperation with W. Poets Laureate/Consultants in Poetry are represented in the anthology, which includes some of the world’s best-known poems and charts the course of American verse during the past 75 years. They appeared before an enthusiastic and overflowing crowd, reading selections from their favorite laureates as well as their own work.Īll 43 of the U.S. The masters of poetry included Billy Collins, Rita Dove, Daniel Hoffman, Maxine Kumin, Kay Ryan, Charles Simic and Mark Strand. 6 to read in celebration of the new book “ The Poets Laureate Anthology.” Not since a laureate reunion in 1978 has so much poetic talent convened for a reading at the Library of Congress. Seven Poets Laureate/Consultants in Poetry gathered in the Coolidge Auditorium on the evening of Oct. Seven Poets Laureate/Consultants in Poetry reunite for a reading in the Coolidge Auditorium to celebrate the new book “The Poets Laureate Anthology.” Standing onstage from left: Librarian of Congress James Billington Carolyn Brown, director of the Office of Scholarly Programs and poets Mark Strand, Charles Simic, Kay Ryan, Maxine Kumin, Daniel Hoffman, Rita Dove and Billy Collins. ![]()
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