Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry
The Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress is appointed by the United States Librarian of Congress and earns a stipend of $35,000 a year. Originally the title was "Consultant in Poetry", but that was changed in 1986 to be "Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry". The idea was modeled on the Poet Laureate of England. These poets and their terms of service are given below.According to the Library of Congress, "The Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress serves as the nation's official lightning rod for the poetic impulse of Americans. During his or her term, the Poet Laureate seeks to raise the national consciousness to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of poetry.
"The Poet Laureate is appointed annually by the Librarian of Congress and serves from October to May. In making the appointment, the Librarian consults with former appointees, the current Laureate and distinguished poetry critics. The position has existed under two separate titles: from 1937 to 1986 as "Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress" and from 1986 forward as "Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry." The name was changed by an act of Congress in 1985.
"The Laureate receives a $35,000 annual stipend funded by a gift from Archer M. Huntington. The Library keeps to a minimum the specific duties in order to afford incumbents maximum freedom to work on their own projects while at the Library. The Laureate gives an annual lecture and reading of his or her poetry and usually introduces poets in the Library's annual poetry series, the oldest in the Washington area, and among the oldest in the United States. This annual series of public poetry and fiction readings, lectures, symposia, and occasional dramatic performances began in the 1940s. Collectively the Laureates have brought more than 2,000 poets and authors to the Library to read for the Archive of Recorded Poetry and Literature.
"Each Laureate brings a different emphasis to the position. Joseph Brodsky initiated the idea of providing poetry in airports, supermarkets and hotel rooms. Maxine Kumin started a popular series of poetry workshops for women at the Library of Congress. Gwendolyn Brooks met with elementary school students to encourage them to write poetry. Rita Dove brought together writers to explore the African diaspora through the eyes of its artists. She also championed children's poetry and jazz with poetry events. Robert Hass organized the "Watershed" conference that brought together noted novelists, poets and storytellers to talk about writing, nature and community."
Consultants in Poetry
- 1937-41 Joseph Auslander
- 1943-44 Allen Tate
- 1944-45 Robert Penn Warren
- 1945-46 Louise Bogan
- 1946-47 Karl Shapiro
- 1947-48 Robert Lowell
- 1948-49 Leonie Adams
- 1949-50 Elizabeth Bishop
- 1950-52 Conrad Aiken (First to serve two terms)
- (William Carlos Williams: Appointed in 1952 but did not serve)
- 1956-58 Randall Jarrell
- 1958-59 Robert Frost
- 1959-61 Richard Eberhart
- 1961-63 Louis Untermeyer
- 1963-64 Howard Nemerov
- 1964-65 Reed Whittemore
- 1965-66 Stephen Spender
- 1966-68 James Dickey
- 1968-70 William Jay Smith
- 1970-71 William Stafford
- 1971-73 Josephine Jacobson
- 1973-74 Daniel Hoffman
- 1974-76 Stanley Kunitz
- 1976-78 Robert Hayden
- 1978-80 William Meredith
- 1981-82 Maxine Kumin
- 1982-84 Anthony Hecht
- 1984-85 Robert Fitzgerald (Appointed and served in a health-limited capacity, but did not come to LC)
- 1984-85 Reed Whittemore (Interim Consultant in Poetry)
- 1985-86 Gwendolyn Brooks
- 1986-87 Robert Penn Warren (First to be designated Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry)
- 1987-88 Richard Wilbur
- 1988-90 Howard Nemerov
- 1990-91 Mark Strand
- 1991-92 Joseph Brodsky
- 1992-93 Mona Van Duyn
- 1993-95 Rita Dove
- 1995-97 Robert Hass
- 1997-99 Robert Pinsky
- 1999-2000 Special Bicentennial Consultants: Rita Dove, Louise Glück, and W.S. Merwin
- 2000-01 Stanley Kunitz
- 2001-03 Billy Collins
