16th Poet Laureate Named! - Kay Ryan is the New Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress

1. Who is the new poet laureate of the United States of America?

• The Answer...
  • Kay Ryan

2. What is the official name of this position?

• The Answer...
  • Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress.

3. Before the position was known as the poet laureate, what was it called?

• The Answer...
  • Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. The name was changed by an act of Congress in 1985.

4. What is the plural of poet laureate?  Poet laureates or Poets Laureate?

• The Answer...
  • Poets Laureate

5.  Is the poet laureate paid a salary?

• The Answer
  • Yes, The laureate is paid $35,00.00 for the position which is given as a gift from Archer M. Huntington.

6. Who names the Poet Laureate?

• The Answer...
  • The Librarian of Congress, and the position is held from October to May.

7. What other country has a Poet laureate?

• The Answer...
  • England.

8. What does the Poet Laureate do?

• The Answer...
  • Serves as the nation's official lightning rod for the poetic impulse of Americans. The Poet Laureate seeks to raise the national consciousness to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of poetry.

9. Was Shel Silverstein ever named Poet Lauret?

• The Answer...
  • No

10. Was there ever a year when more than one Poet Laureate was appointed?

• The Answer...
  • Yes, in 1999-2000 three were appointed as Special Bicentennial Consultants, Rita Dove, Louise Gluck and W. S. Merwin.

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