Poetry and Literature Center Web Pages
OVERVIEW
The Library's Poetry and Literature Center web pages provide access to a wealth of poetry-related resources on the Library's
website, and offer the best starting point for locating works by and about contemporary American poets on the site. Major features accessible through these pages are listed
below.
Poetry and Literature Center Resources
National Projects of U.S. Poets Laureate
Several
recent Poets Laureate have created national projects during their terms
designed to increase the visibility and appreciation of
poetry in
the United
States. These projects include:
La Casa de Colores
Through La Casa de Colores, Juan Felipe Herrera invites the public to contribute a verse to an "epic poem" about the American experience. The poem, titled "La Familia," unfolds monthly, with a new theme each month about an aspect of American life, values or culture. "El Jardín" ("The Garden"), the second major feature of Herrera's project, includes videos of Herrera's interaction with select items throughout the Library, along with his written responses to each interaction and curator comments.
Where Poetry Lives
"Where Poetry Lives" was founded in 2013 by Natasha Trethewey, who served as the 19th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry. Throughout her second term as Laureate, Trethewey participated in a series of reports with PBS NewsHour Senior Correspondent Jeffrey Brown, as part of the show's Poetry Series. These reports, in locations across the country, explored societal issues through poetry's focused lens.
Poetry for the Mind's Joy
Kay Ryan's Poetry for the Mind’s Joy project included a community college poetry contest administered by the Community College Humanities Association, and a video conference with four community colleges in April, 2010.
American
Life in Poetry
Ted Kooser's American Life
in Poetry provides newspapers and online publications with
a free weekly column featuring contemporary
American poems.
Poetry
180
A project created
by Billy Collins to make it easy for high school students
to hear or read a poem
on each of the 180 days of the school year.
Favorite
Poem Project
Robert Pinsky's Favorite Poem Project was designed for
Americans to share their favorite poems. The Favorite Poem
Project web site includes 50 short video documentaries showcasing
individual Americans reading and speaking personally
about poems they love.
Poetry
Events
A schedule of
upcoming poetry readings, lectures, and other events held at the
Library.
Poetry Prizes
Learn about
the Bobbitt
National Prize for Poetry and Witter
Bynner Fellowships. Lists of current and past recipients
are included.
Poet
Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress
Learn the history behind
the position of United States Poet Laureate. Brief
biographies of the current
Poet Laureate as
well as former Poets Laureate are
available.
About the Poetry & Literature
Center
The Poetry & Literature Center is the home of the
Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress.
Read about its history and activities.
Archive
of Recorded Poetry & Literature
Begun
in 1943 when Allen Tate was Consultant in Poetry to the Library,
the Archive
of Recorded Poetry and Literature
now contains recordings of nearly 2,000 poets and writers reading and discussing their work. On April 15, 2015, a selection of recordings from the Library's Archive of Recorded Poetry and Literature was made available online.. The initial launch included 50 recordings, featuring poets such as Robert Frost, Gwendolyn Brooks, Elizabeth Bishop, Czeslaw Milosz, and Paul Muldoon. Additional recordings are added on a monthly basis.
From the Catbird Seat: Poetry and Literatutre at the Library of Congress
The official blog of the Poetry and Literature Center.
Poetry of America
This series was launched is part of the Center’s 75th Anniversary celebration. Through two features, “Poetry of American Identity” and “Poetry of American History,” leaders in the literary field explore how poetry connects to the following themes: immigration and migration, work and industry, social change, and peace and war.
Spotlight on U.S. Hispanic Writers
This series features emerging and established American poets and prose writers of Hispanic descent who write predominantly in English. In each segment the featured poet or writer participates in a moderated discussion with a member of the Library'sHispanic Division and reads from his or her work.
Conversations with African Poets and Writers
Launched in the fall of 2011 with Ali Mazrui, who gave a talk on the state of contemporary African literature, this series (presented here as webcasts of past programs) has followed with readings/discussions with emerging and established novelists, poets, and short story writers from around the Continent.
Interview Series
As part of the Poetry and Literature Center’s 75th Anniversary, this new series features emerging and established literary writers in a dynamic and thought-provoking conversation.
Webcasts and Podcasts
Find video and audio recordings of poetry readings, literary birthday celebrations and conferences, and more that have taken place at the Library and at the National Book Festival.
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