Philip Levine, U.S. Poet Laureate: A Resource Guide
American poet Philip Levine served as U.S. Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry from 2011-2012 at the Library of Congress. This guide provides access to selected print and online resources related to Levine’s life and work.
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Authors:
Maura Byrne, Intern, Poetry and Literature Center
Anne Holmes, Digital Content Manager, Poetry and Literature Center
Peter Armenti, Reference Specialist, Researcher and Reference Services Division
Created: February 20, 2020
Last Updated: June 5, 2020
Introduction
On August 10, 2011, Librarian of Congress James H. Billington announced the appointment of Philip Levine as the 18th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry. In a statement announcing the appointment, Dr. Billington said:
Philip Levine is one of America's great narrative poets. His plainspoken lyricism has, for half a century, championed the art of telling ‘The Simple Truth’—about working in a Detroit auto factory, as he has, and about the hard work we do to make sense of our lives.