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Posted by: Peter Armenti
Poet Jack Gilbert, who touched the lives of countless readers through lucid, lyrical poems that explored classic themes such as love, death, and the good life, passed away Tuesday at age 87. Though Gilbert eschewed the literary limelight and would never have considered serving as U.S. Poet Laureate, he came to the Library at least …
Posted in: News and Events
Posted by: Peter Armenti
In a February blog post on State Poets Laureate I mentioned that From the Catbird Seat would periodically update readers when new State Poets are appointed. During the past five weeks there have been a flurry of changes to State Poet positions, making this an opportune time to give a brief roundup of recent activity. …
Posted in: News and Events, Poets Laureate
Posted by: Robert Casper
The following is a guest post from Camila Escobar-Vredevoogd, the 2012 Junior Fellow at the Library of Congress Poetry and Literature Center. Over the past two weeks, all of the Junior Fellows at the Library have been wrapping up their projects for one final display to celebrate their time here. The display has come and …
Posted in: Collections, Guest Posts, News and Events
Posted by: Peter Armenti
As part of a multiyear “Celebration of the Book,” on Monday the Library of Congress launched the exhibit “Books That Shaped America.” The centerpiece of the exhibit is an initial display of 88 books deemed by the Library to be of cultural significance to America. You can view the list of books here. The list …
Posted in: News and Events
Posted by: Robert Casper
Last Wednesday, the Poetry and Literature Center hosted its final program of the 2011/2012 year: a reading with Hungarian novelist László Krasznahorkai. Like many of our readings this past year, this one was co-sponsored by another division in the Library and featured a moderated discussion run by an LC expert—in this case, our co-sponsor was …
Posted in: News and Events
Posted by: Peter Armenti
NOTE: Follow this link on Friday, May 4, at 3 p. m. Eastern Time, to watch the live video conference with Philip Levine. Philip Levine concluded the Library’s literary season last night with a lecture to a packed audience in the Coolidge Auditorium. Levine’s talk, “My Forgotten Poets,” was a self-effacing tribute to the poets …
Posted in: News and Events, Poets Laureate
Posted by: Robert Casper
The following is a guest post by Bryan Koen, graduate research assistant for the Poetry and Literature Center at the Library of Congress. The Poetry and Literature Center congratulates former Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry Rita Dove, to whom President Obama awarded the National Medal of Arts on Monday, February 13. At the White House …
Posted in: News and Events
Posted by: Robert Casper
The following is a guest post by Caitlin Rizzo, staffer for the Poetry and Literature Center at the Library of Congress. Last Wednesday marked what would have been the 110th birthday of beloved American poet Langston Hughes. In celebration of this milestone, the Manuscript Division and the Poetry and Literature Center co-hosted a Literary Birthday …
Posted in: Guest Posts, News and Events
Posted by: Robert Casper
Happy New Year, and welcome to the inaugural post for “From the Catbird Seat: Poetry and Literature at the Library of Congress.” My name is Robert Casper—I am the head of the Library’s Poetry and Literature Center, and am pleased to welcome you here. This blog is one of the features of the Center, located …
Posted in: News and Events