Sunday, August 22, 2010

Thought for the Day

Out of our contradictions we build our harmonies.
~ Stanley Kunitz
________________________

The much-honored poet Stanley Kunitz (1905 - 2006) published both poetry and translations, the latter including Poems of Akhmatova. Among his final work are The Collected Poems (2002), Passing Through: The Later Poems, New and Selected (1997), and The Wild Braid: A Poet Reflects on a Century in the Garden (2007), which included photography by Marnie Crawford Samuelson. 

In 2000, at age 95, Kunitz became the 10th Poet Laureate of the United States and served through 2001. Many years before (1974 - 1976) he had occupied the same position when it was known as Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress. (See Dinitia Smith, "Wiser, Kunitz Returning as Laureate", The New York Times, August 2, 2000.) He was also New York State Poet Laureate (1987 - 1989).

Biography and Bibliography

NPR's "Poet Stanley Kunitz at 100", July 29, 2005

PBS Interview with Elizabeth Farnsworth

Kunitz at Dodge Poetry Festival

Poetry Foundation Page on Kunitz

Gregory Orr, Stanley Kunitz: An Introduction to the Poetry (Columbia University Press, 1985) (This book also is on GoogleBooks.)

2 comments:

Louise Gallagher said...

I had to link to you today Maureen -- I got lost in Kunitz' poetry this morning and am grateful I did!

Thank you!

Anonymous said...

poet laureate at 95 !?!

cool.