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Donald Hall served as the U.S. Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress from 2006-2007, having officially begun his term on October 6th, 2006. The links below provide more information about Hall's activities at the Library, including webcasts, blog posts, and related news releases.
Librarian of Congress James H. Billington announced the appointment of Donald Hall as the Library's 14th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry on June 14, 2006. Hall opened his term with a reading from his book White Apples and the Taste of Stone: Selected Poems 1946-2006. He also spoke at that year's National Book Festival.
Donald Hall served one term as Poet Laureate, finishing his duties in the spring of 2007. The Poet laureate closed his term by engaging with British Poet Laureate Andrew Motion in a historic joint reading. The series, "Poetry Across the Atlantic," took the opportunity to celebrate both American and British poetry before a 400 person audience. Poetry Foundation President John Barr the relationship between the two nations' poetry as:
"a separation of two branches of a large family—not staying in touch because they are too busy with their own affairs."
The event was described as a symbolic occasion, bringing the two poetries back together. Hall shared a number of poems from his newly released book "White Apples and the Taste of Stone: Selected Poems 1946–2006."
Library of Congress press releases about Donald Hall's poet laureate appointment, activities, and events are listed below..
Donald Hall has been featured on both the Poetry and Literature Center's blog, From the Catbird Seat, and on the Library's main blog. Those blog posts are linked below:
The Library of Congress features several recordings of Donald Hall reading and discussing his poetry and the poetry of other poets. These are listed below.
