[New-Poetry] laureate

[jforjames at aol.com]

What the post is called aside, I think our Poet Laureate position has the virtue of being a short-term appointment. It can be as short as a year, I believe. Though it's often renewed for a second term if the Laureate wants to go on or has unfinished business. As David W mentioned Pinsky was the first to really take up the post with some gusto and to start an iniatitive specifically designed to promote the art of poetry to the general public. A number of other PL has followed his lead, Billy Collins and Ted Kooser in particular. Some have been recalcitrant towards taking on any kind poetry-activist role, notably Louise Glück. 

Though $35,000 seems a fair sum. I think they work pretty hard for it. There seems to be quite a bit of traveling to readings and talks hither and thither. I also wonder if there is some 'waiving' or reducing their typical appearance fees due to respenting Poet Laureate position and not just being 'a poet of some renown'. By the time a poet get the PL position he/she regularly commands pretty hefty appearance fees, & often he/she's represented by an agent. So possibly taking the position might be a little bit of a pay cut. But that is likely made up quickly after his/her tenure is complete by increased appearance fees and by more desirable and lucrative reading offers that come one's way by virtue of being the former Poet Laureate.

Finnegan


-----Original Message-----
From: Roger Day <rog3r.day at gmail.com>
Sent: Mon, 5 May 2008 9:50 am
Subject: Re: [New-Poetry] laureate



I like the American idea of a PL, if not the title.
Quoted in the Wiki:
The Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress
erves as the nation's official lightning rod for the poetic impulse
f Americans. During his or her term, the Poet Laureate seeks to raise
he national consciousness to a greater appreciation of the reading
nd writing of poetry."
At $35000 per annum, not something to be sneezed at.
By contrast, although govt appointed, the PL in the UK is a member of
he royal household and AFAIK, is tasked with celebrating the little
ears. Amusingly, I can't find anything on the UK PL - how the
osition is filled, what the duties are, the pay etc etc. I think the
K PL sucks.
Roger
On Mon, May 5, 2008 at 12:41 PM, Anny Ballardini <anny.ballardini at tin.it> wrote:
 Laureate, in Italian, laureato, which means graduate. For me it sounds like
 a promotion, a graduation. Yes, it comes from laurel, why not? If you say
 Minister (also from Latin origins), you take away the freedom a Laureate
 enjoys, and s/he will have to sit down at all the boring meetings,
  I think they should have a Laureate in every country, possibly with that
 Huge Machine Bob has just invented, that would be interesting...

  p.s.: I love that 'sublime ignorance'

  ----- Original Message ----- From: "Roger Day" <rog3r.day at gmail.com>
  To: "NewPoetry: Contemporary Poetry News &amp,Views"
 <new-poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu>
  Sent: Monday, May 05, 2008 12:22 PM

  Subject: Re: [New-Poetry] laureate



 >
 > Having a poet laureate is too much like medieval europe for me, poet
 > courtiers and all that. A ministry of culture would suffice. Barely
 > anyone reads their output in this country anyway; it passes by in
 > sublime ignorance.
 >
 > Roger
 >
 > On Mon, May 5, 2008 at 12:41 AM,  <jforjames at aol.com> wrote:
 >
 > > Going back to old label for the post makes sense to me per the
 Enersonian
 > > ideal of trying to establish a native literary tradition. When the name
 of
 > > the post was changed it was clearly a 'marketing' decision. Still
 > > 'Consultant' does sound a bit sterile/technical.
 > >
 > >  I was thinking that only Poetry, despite its much talked about
 > > marginalization, is the only one of Arts that get such prominant
 position
 > > both named and paid for by our national government. There is no Symphony
 > > Orchestra Conductor Laureate, no Filmmaker Laureate, no Painter
 Laureate?
 > > We're special.
 > >
 > >  Finnegan
 > >
 > >
 > >
 > >  -----Original Message-----
 > >  From: Barone, Dennis <dbarone at sjc.edu>
 > >  To: new-poetry at wiz.cath.vt.edu
 > >  Sent: Sun, 4 May 2008 8:56 am
 > >  Subject: [New-Poetry] laureate
 > >
 > >
 > >
 > >
 > >
 > > I'd like to see the post of poet laureate of the United States
 eliminated.
 > > Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress sounds ok to me,
 laureate
 > > does not.
 > >
 >
 > --
 > My Stuff: http://www.badstep.net/
 > "She went out with her paint box, paints the chapel blue
 > She went out with her matches, torched the car-wash too"
 > The Go-Betweens
 >


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-- 
y Stuff: http://www.badstep.net/
She went out with her paint box, paints the chapel blue
he went out with her matches, torched the car-wash too"
he Go-Betweens
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