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Archive: June 2017 (7 Posts)

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State Poets Update: Does Your State have a New Poet Laureate?

Posted by: Peter Armenti

It’s been nearly a year since my last update on state poets laureate. Since then, ten states have welcomed new poets laureate, four of which have been appointed since May 1: Beth Ann Fennelly started her term as Mississippi Poet Laureate on August 10, 2016; Michael Erdelen was named Premiere Poet of Indiana in October …

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Literary Treasures: Remembering James Tate

Posted by: Anne Holmes

The following post is part of our monthly series, “Literary Treasures,” which highlights audio and video recordings drawn from the Library’s extensive online collections, including the Archive of Recorded Poetry and Literature. By showcasing the works and thoughts of some of the greatest poets and writers from the past 75 years, the series advances the Library’s …

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Introducing Our New Poet Laureate: Online Edition

Posted by: Anne Holmes

It’s been a full week since Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced Tracy K. Smith as the 22nd Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry. As you can imagine, our new Laureate has been keeping herself busy: After the announcement, dozens of interviews and articles have appeared about her appointment, her view of the Laureateship, and her …

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Welcome to our New Poet Laureate!

Posted by: Robert Casper

Today the Library of Congress announced the appointment of the 22nd Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry, Tracy K. Smith. Following is an interview that Poetry and Literature Center Digital Content Manager Anne Holmes conducted with Smith via e-mail. What was it like to get the call from the Librarian, asking you to be the next …

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Bon Voyage, Catalina Neon!

Posted by: Anne Holmes

We’ve had a wild, whimsical ride this past year with Catalina Neon and her bandana-clad dog, Tortilla. From gooey plants to laser beams to secret tunnels to carrot astronauts in the Galactic Poetry Cosmic Library, Catalina and Tortilla have been through it all—with a love for poetry guiding them along. Today, Poet Laureate Juan Felipe …

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The Power of Poetry: Introducing PLC Intern Caroline Harris

Posted by: Anne Holmes

The following guest post is by Caroline Harris, a summer 2017 intern in the Poetry and Literature Center. I wrote my first poem on the second day of sixth grade. It was called “Ode to an Artichoke.” In rhyming couplets, I praised every aspect of my favorite vegetable. No stranger to hyperbole, I labeled artichokes …

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Hooray for Juan Felipe!

Posted by: Anne Holmes

The following post was written by Rob Casper, head of the Poetry and Literature Center. Though our spring season is officially over, much is still going on at the Poetry and Literature Center. We are looking forward to announcing the next Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry in a couple of weeks—to that end, last week …