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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.

Introduction

U.S. Poet Laureate Philip Levine. 2011-2012. Photo by Geoffrey Berliner.

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.

This guide provides an overview of print and online resources related to Philip Levine's life and work. To suggest additions to this guide, please contact the Researcher and Reference Services Division.

Contact Information for Philip Levine

If you would like to contact Philip Levine please direct your inquiries as suggested below:

  • Permissions Requests: Contact the publisher of the poem or work written by Levine that you'd like to use.
  • Reference Questions: Use the Library's Ask a Librarian service.