Poet Laureate

A Poet Laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events.

Poets Laureate in other countries

Other countries have implemented similar official positions to that of the British Poet Laureate.

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The United States Library of Congress has since 1937 appointed an official Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. An act of Congress changed the name of the position in 1985 to Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress.

Related Topics:
United States Library of Congress - Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress

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Other countries (e.g. South Africa) and organisations (e.g. the United Nations) have been keen to follow this lead. Australia, however retains a disdainful attitude.

Related Topics:
South Africa - United Nations

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Canada has a Parliamentary Poet Laureate, who is appointed as an officer of the Library of Parliament. Candidates must be able to write in either English or French, must have a substantial publication history (including poetry) displaying literary excellence and must have written work reflecting Canada, among other criteria.

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Many US States also have official Poets Laureate. The fashion has also spread to some cities. Most holders of the these titles reach eminence by public competition; some also have brought disrepute by what they do in office, as in the case of Amiri Baraka, and sometimes have been removed.

Related Topics:
Official Poets Laureate - Amiri Baraka

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Kannadasan was the poet laureate of tamil nadu at the time of his death

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