Word: poetes
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When the Library of Congress announced Kay Ryan as its pick for 16th Poet Laureate Consultant last week, the poetry community went all atwitter. Mention the title "poet laureate" outside the poetry community, and you'll find it has an appeal that's, well, poetic. But even cognoscenti who can rattle off the rhyme scheme of a sonnet in their sleep might be hard pressed to answer the question: What exactly does the poet laureate...
...Just ask Billy Collins, who served from 2001 to 2003. He says one of his predecessors told him that being poet laureate means you basically spend a year explaining what the poet laureate is. "In my case," Collins says, "that meant explaining that it is not a presidential appointment, which is what a lot of people think...
...Patricia Gray, the head of the library's Poetry and Literature Center, describes the laureateship as an "iconic" position. It is the highest honor for a poet in this country, bestowed by the Librarian of Congress, who consults with former laureates, the current laureate and poetry critics in making his choice. It is the only government office for a literary artist that is not federally funded. It is an academic-year position (October to May), but poets may extend their term if they choose. The perks include a $35,000 stipend, a $5,000 travel allowance, cultural cachet...
...From this exalted perch, the poet laureate is charged with bringing poetry to the forefront of the American consciousness, as well as playing consultant to the Library of Congress - which includes giving a reading at the beginning of the term and a lecture or reading at the end of the term, organizing monthly readings and overseeing the library's poetry fellowships and prizes. And, of course, he or she should continue to write poems...
...There are also the demands of travel. Typically, the poet laureate commutes between his or her home, Washington, D.C., and the numerous towns or cities where he or she has been asked to give readings or lectures...