Stanley Kunitz was appointed Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress twice, first in 1974 and then again in 2000 when he was ninety-five years old, still actively publishing and promoting poetry to new generations of readers. In the New York Times Book Review, Robert Campbell noted that Kunitz's selection as poet laureate—the highest literary honor in America—"affirms his stature as perhaps the most distinguished living American poet."
About his own work, Kunitz has said: “The poem comes in the form of a blessing—‘like rapture breaking on the mind,’ as I tried to phrase it in my youth. Through the years I have found this gift of poetry to be life-sustaining, life-enhancing, and absolutely unpredictable. Does one live, therefore, for the sake of poetry? No, the reverse is true: poetry is for the sake of the life.”
Join poet Laurie Byro for a discussion of one of the most treasured and distinctive voices in American poetry. Click here to print out a selection of Kunitz's poetry or stop by the Help Desk for a copy.