Poets Laureate of the United States

Submitted by admin on Wed, 05/06/2009 - 4:08pm

The Poet Laureate is appointed annually by the Librarian of Congress and serves from October to May.

 
Kay Ryan.
Served from 2008 - Present.
 
Charles Simic. The Voice at 3:00 a.m.and others
Born in Yugoslavia, he has been a US citizen since 1971 and lives in New Hampshire.  He served from 2007 - 2008.
Donald Hall. White Apples and Taste of Stone and others
Hall has published 15 books of poetry as well as prose, children's books and plays.  He served as Poet Laureate from 2006 - 2007.
 
Ted Kooser. Delights and Shadows and others
Kooser won the Pulitzer Prize in 2005 while serving as U.S. Poet Laureate from 2004 - 2006. He has also won the Pushcart Prize and Stanley Kunitz Prize.
Louise Glück. The Wild Iris and others
Glück won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1993, and served as  U.S. Poet Laureate from 2003-2004. Rather dark, yet accessible, her poems are lauded for their dignity and clarity.
Billy Collins. Sailing Alone Around the Room and others
Winner of numerous awards, he served from 2001-2003.
Stanley Kunitz. Collected Poems and others
Having previously served as Chair of Poetry (precursor to the Poet Laureate) at the Library of Congress from 1974-1976, he served as Poet Laureate from 2000-2001.
Robert Pinsky. Jersey Rain and others
He was the first Poet Laureate to serve three consecutive terms from 1997-2000.
 
Robert Hass
Served from 1995-1996.
Rita Dove. Mother Love and others
Appointed as the first African American Poet Laureate, she served from 1993-1995, Rita Dove has won numerous literary prizes.
 
Mona Van Duyn. Near Changes and others
Van Duyn won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1991.  She served as Poet Laureate from 1992-1993.
Joseph Brodsky. So Forth and others
Served from 1991-1992.
Mark Strand. Blizzard of One and others
Strand served as Poet Laureat from 1990-1991.  He won the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1999.
 
Howard Nemerov. The Collected Poems and A Howard Nemerov Reader
Served from 1988-1990.
Richard Wilbur. New and Collected Poems and others
Winner of several literary awards including the Pulitzer Prize, he served as Poet Laureate from 1987-1988.
Robert Penn Warren. The Collected Poems and others
The author of the classic novel All the Kings Men, he has also won awards for his poetry and served as Poet Laureate from 1986-1987.