Saturday, July 19, 2008

Poet Laureate of the United States Series

I have decided, mostly for my own enlightenment, to start a poetry series.
These poets will be the Poet Laureates of the United States. There have been 43 to date. The actual title is Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. Since 1937 many of my favorite American poets have been appointed this honor, and many poets that I am not as familiar with have also held this post.
Enjoy, and perhaps you may find a new favorite American poet.
  1. 1937–1941 Joseph Auslander
  2. 1943–1944 Allen Tate
  3. 1944–1945, 1986-1987 Robert Penn Warren (first called PL Consultant in Poetry to the LofC)
  4. 1945–1946 Louise Bogan
  5. 1946–1947 Karl Shapiro
  6. 1947–1948 Robert Lowell
  7. 1948–1949 Leonie Adams
  8. 1949–1950 Elizabeth Bishop
  9. 1950–1952 Conrad Aiken (first to serve two terms, 2 years)
  10. 1956–1958 Randall Jarrell
  11. 1958–1959 Robert Frost
  12. 1959–1961 Richard Eberhart
  13. 1961–1963 Louis Untermeyer
  14. 1963–1964 Howard Nemerov
  15. 1964–1965, 1984–1985 Reed Whittemore
  16. 1965–1966 Stephen Spender
  17. 1968–1970 William Jay Smith
  18. 1966–1968 James Dickey
  19. 1970–1971 William Stafford
  20. 1971–1973 Josephine Jacobsen
  21. 1973–1974 Daniel Hoffman
  22. 1974–1976, 2000-2001 Stanley Kunitz
  23. 1976–1978 Robert Hayden
  24. 1978–1980 William Meredith
  25. 1981–1982 Maxine Kumin
  26. 1982–1984 Anthony Hecht
  27. 1984–1985 Robert Fitzgerald (appointed and served in a health-limited capacity)
  28. 1985–1986 Gwendolyn Brooks
  29. 1987–1988 Richard Wilbur
  30. 1988–1990 Howard Nemerov
  31. 1990–1991 Mark Strand
  32. 1991–1992 Joseph Brodsky
  33. 1992–1993 Mona Van Duyn
  34. 1993–1995, 1999-2000 Rita Dove (joint Special Bicentennial Consultant 1999-2000)
  35. 1995–1997 Robert Hass
  36. 1997–2000 Robert Pinsky
  37. 1999–2000 W.S. Merwin (joint Special Bicentennial Consultant)
  38. 2001–2003 Billy Collins
  39. 2003–2004, 1999-2000 Louise Glück (joint Special Bicentennial Consultant 1999-2000)
  40. 2004–2006 Ted Kooser
  41. 2006–2007 Donald Hall
  42. 2007–2008 Charles Simic
  43. 2008–2009 Kay Ryan

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