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Posted by: Peter Armenti
We were saddened to learn last week of the death of William Jay Smith, who served as Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 1968-70. He was 97. The Washington Post notes: In a writing career that spanned more than 70 years, Mr. Smith published dozens of volumes of poetry, as well as …
Posted in: Poets Laureate
Posted by: Peter Armenti
The following post, which originally appeared on the Library of Congress Blog, was written by Gina Apone, one of 36 college students who spent the last two months working at the Library as part of the 2015 Junior Fellows Summer Intern Program. Apone currently attends Michigan State University pursuing a dual degree in Pre-Law and …
Posted in: Collections, Guest Posts
Posted by: Peter Armenti
The poems of Pablo Neruda are among the most frequently translated works in the English language. While the Chilean poet has for many years enjoyed a huge readership in the United States, thanks to the widespread availability of English-language editions of his poetry, few people are aware of the integral role played by the Library …
Posted in: Collections, News and Events
Posted by: Peter Armenti
Today marks the publication of Harper Lee’s Go Set a Watchman, the manuscript that Lee, with the help of editor Tay Hohoff, shaped over the course of several years into the classic American novel To Kill a Mockingbird. This publication event, although tinged with controversy, provides us with an opportunity to remind social studies and …
Posted in: Digital Resources, News and Events
Posted by: Peter Armenti
It’s been only two months since my previous state poets update, but since then three states have appointed new laureates: Peter Meinke was appointed Florida’s Poet Laureate on June 15; Lee Ann Roripaugh was appointed South Dakota Poet Laureate on July 1; and A. Rose Hill was appointed Poet Laureate of Wyoming on July 9 …
Posted in: State Poets
Posted by: Peter Armenti
For most Americans today, Fourth of July celebrations involve some combination of cookouts, music concerts, movies, sports, games, and (of course!) fireworks. In the 19th century, however, one of the most important parts of many cities’ celebrations was the formal oration, in which an invited speaker would address either a selected group of citizens or …
Posted in: Digital Resources
Posted by: Peter Armenti
Walt Whitman was born on May 31, 1819. Although From the Catbird Seat just highlighted a “lost” Whitman poem recently discovered at the Library, we decided that Whitman’s multitudes should not be contained by a single post, or even two posts, in the lead-up to his birthday. The best way to honor Whitman, we thought, …
Posted in: Collections, Digital Resources, News and Events
Posted by: Peter Armenti
Walt Whitman enthusiasts were treated to a surprise last December when news broke that Wendy Katz, an associate professor of art history at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, had discovered a new poem by Whitman. The poem, titled “To Bryant, the Poet of Nature,” was uncovered by Katz in May 2014 as she examined penny press …
Posted in: Collections
Posted by: Peter Armenti
The following guest post, part of our “Teacher’s Corner” series, is by Rebecca Newland, Teacher in Residence at the Library of Congress. One way to engage students with poetry is to provide multiple ways to experience a poem and show how it can have a far-reaching influence. Written by John McCrae on May 3, 1915, …
Posted in: Teacher's Corner