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Tracy K. Smith, U.S. Poet Laureate: A Resource Guide

External Websites

The following links to external websites provide more information about the life and works of Tracy K. Smith.

Biographical information about Tracy K. Smith is listed below.

Academy of American Poets External
Offers a biography of Smith, the text of her poem "Duende," her recipe for old-fashioned tea cakes, a conversation between Smith and Elizabeth Alexander, and a short essay by Smith on Federico Garcia Lorca and duende.
Steven Barclay Agency External
Biography of Smith. Note: Contact the Steven Barclay Agency if you would like to inquire about scheduling Smith for a reading or event.
Poetry Foundation External
Biography of Smith along with 10 of her poems.
Princeton University Faculty Page External
Biography, contact information, courses taught, and links to Smith in the news.

For the latest news and discussions related to Tracy K. Smith, see:

Google News Entries for "Tracy K. Smith" External
Latest Twitter updates for "@slowdownshow" External
Tracy K. Smith partners with the Poetry Foundation to describe the world through poetry.
Latest Twitter updates for "Tracy K. Smith" External

A selected list of news articles, interviews, and conversations, arranged in chronological order, follows below.

Selected Articles, News, and Interviews

"Former poet laureate, Pulitzer winner featured speaker for Harvard Alumni Day" External
The Harvard Gazette. March 9, 2022.
"A poet’s ode to the Hubble Telescope – and to her father, who helped to build it" External
Aeon. March 8, 2022.
"Poet Tracy K. Smith on Finding Joy During an Unbearable Year" External
Time.. September 28, 2021.
"A Sharper Sense of Desperation: PW Talks with Tracy K. Smith" External
Publishers Weekly. August 13, 2021.
"Former U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith's Poetry Road Trip Across America" External
WBUR. January 15, 2020
"Jackie Kay and Tracy K Smith: What Did One Poet Laureate Say to the Other?" External
The Guardian. June 30, 2019
"'Why Poetry? Why Now?': Tracy K. Smith's Visit to Penn" External
34th Street. April 5, 2019
"US Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith brings Poetry to the Airwaves" External
Crosscurrents, KALW. March 19, 2019
"A Love Note To Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith" External
Book Riot. March 13, 2019
"U.S. Poet Laureate to Lead Alumni at Harvard’s 368th Commencement" External
The Harvard Gazette. March 7, 2019
"Poet Tracy K. Smith Emboldens Campbell Hall" External
Daily Nexus. February 12, 2010
"Tracy K. Smith Interviewed: U.S. Poet Laureate Talks Community, Consideration, and Revelation" External
Santa Barbara Independent. January 29, 2019
"Tracy K. Smith ’94 to receive Harvard Arts Medal" External
The Harvard Gazette. January 2019
"Tracy K. Smith’s Work Diary: The ‘Nonstop Rush’ of a Poet Laureate" External
The New York Times. January 24, 2019
"Tracy K. Smith, Poet Laureate, Brings Her Podcast to Public Radio" External
The New York Times. January 11, 2019
"Suddenly, Poets Are More Willing to Address Public Concerns. The Poet Laureate Explores Why, and How" External
The New York Times. December 10, 2018
"U.S. Poet Laureate Named 2018 Winner of Hall-Kenyon Prize in American Poetry" External
New Hampshire Public Radio. November 14, 2018
"U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith Looks for the Deep, Often Hard, Truth in Her Work" External
Pittsburgh Current. November 6, 2018
"Tracy K. Smith’s Civic Vision" External
Belt Magazine. November 5, 2018
"America’s Poet Laureate Shares a Poem for You to Take to the Polls" External
PBS NewsHour. November 5, 2018
"A Conversation about America, Told through Poetry" External
Portland Press Herald. October 30, 2018
"A Conversation with U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith" External
NJ.com. October 15, 2018
"'Bridging the Apparent Divide': Poet Laureate, Pulitzer Prize Winner Tracy K. Smith Shares Her Perspective on Poetry" External
The Cavalier Daily. October 4, 2018
"Tracy K. Smith’s Poetry of Desire" External
The New Yorker. October 1, 2018
"On My Radar: Tracy K Smith’s Cultural Highlights" External
The Guardian. September 16, 2018
"US Poet Laureate Smith Gives Reading to Full House" External
Indiana Daily Student. September 7, 2018
"Tracy K. Smith Explores Christianity’s Connection to Poetry" External
The Observer. September 6, 2018
"U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith Brings Poetry to the People" External
Juneau Empire. August 31, 2018
"Tracy K. Smith Goes Operatic With 'Castor and Patience'" External
Colorlines. July 11, 2018
"Tracy K. Smith On The Politics Of Poetry" External
Nylon. July 5, 2018
"Media Covers Wellesley’s Commencement and Speaker, U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith" External
Wellesley College News. June 7, 2018
"Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith Talks Process with Hopkins Students" External
New Haven Register. May 4, 2018
"U.S. Poet Laureate Gets Real and Inspires Norwalk Students" External
The Hour. May 3, 2018
"Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith’s Portrait of America Is a Devastating Must-Read" External
Mother Jones. May/June 2018
"The Poet Laureate Wants You to Read This Poem" External
PBS NewsHour. April 30, 2018
"Tracy K. Smith and Jacqueline Woodson Talk Reading, Race and Spreading the Gospel of Literature" External
The New York Times. April 19, 2018
"U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith Named Wellesley’s 2018 Commencement Speaker" External Link External
Wellesley College. April 13, 2018
"Meet Tracy K. Smith, the Nation’s Poet Laureate" External
Roll Call. April 12, 2018
"Tracy K. Smith, America’s Poet Laureate, Is a Woman With a Mission" External
The New York Times Magazine. April 10, 2018
"Q&A: U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith on CPCC’s Sensoria, Her New Role" External
Charlotte Magazine. April 9, 2018
"U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith Discusses Her New Collection, Wade in the Water" External
Newsday. March 27, 2018
"Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith on America’s Troubled Racial History" External
Vogue. March 22, 2018
"US Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith to Serve Second Term" External
Associated Press. March 22, 2018
"U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith Picks 25 Poems For National Poetry Month" External
BroadwayWorld.com. March 19, 2018
"3 Writing Tips from the U.S. Poet Laureate" External
Art School Insights, California College of the Arts. January 30, 2018
"US Poet Laureate Starts Rural Reading Tour in New Mexico" External
U.S. News & World Report. January 12, 2018
"U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith on Chinese Poetry, Language, and the Allure of China" External
SupChina. October 18, 2017
"U.S. Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize Winner to Give 2017 Emily Dickinson Lecture" External
The Daily Collegian. October 12, 2017
"Meet the Poetry Leader Americans Need Right Now" External
The Tempest. August 6, 2017
"New Poet Laureate Challenges Humanity to Empathize" External
The Washington Informer. July 12, 2017
"New US Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith Wwants to Reach beyond Poetry Fans" External
Missoulian. June 28, 2017
"Tracy K. Smith, New U.S. Poet Laureate, Calls Poems Her 'Anchor'" External
NPR. June 14, 2017
"Tracy K. Smith: No Secrets" External
Barnes & Noble Review. April 1, 2015
"Pulitzer Prize-winning Poet Tracy K. Smith Talks about Inspiration, Personal Reflection and Recitation" External
Nashville Scene. February 14, 2014
"Interview with Tracy K. Smith – 'Poets are Lucky'" External
Ploughshares. May 30, 2012
"The Rumpus Poetry Book Club Interviews Tracy K. Smith" External
The Rumpus. June 10, 2011

A selection of radio programs featuring Tracy K. Smith or in which Smith and her work are discussed.

"Tracy K. Smith Picks the Best Recent Poetry" External
The Brian Lehrer Show, WNYC. October 14, 2021.
"Former U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith Shares Her National Poetry Month Tips" External
All Things Considered, NPR. April 12, 2020.
Tracy K. Smith External
All of It, WNYC. April 22, 2019 (18:30)
"Tracy K. Smith with Marvin K. White" External
Binah, KALW. February 14, 2019 (59:00)
"U.S. Poet Laureate Visits South Coast As Part Of National Tour To Boost Interest In Literature" External
KCLU. January 31, 2019
Thread Book Hour: U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith External
MPR News, Minnesota Public Radio. June 14, 2018 (41:41)
"U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith: 'Wade In The Water' Shares Voices Of The Underground Railroad" External
Radio Boston, WBUR. June 19, 2018 (18:00)
"How Do You Know If A Poem Is Good?" External
1A, WAMU, NPR. April 25, 2018 (47:10)
"U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith Joins Detroit Today" External
Detroit Today, WDET. February 2, 2018 (14:51)
Tracy K. Smith External
The Poet and the Poem. September 14, 2017 (28:55)
"How The U.S. Poet Laureate Finds Poetry In Justin Bieber" External
WMOT Roots Radio. September 1, 2017
"U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith Aims to Capture a Divided Nation" External
The Takeaway, WNYC. July 12, 2017 (07:30)
"Capitol Hill To Undergo Changing Of The Guard With New Poet Laureate" External
All Things Considered, NPR. June 17, 2017 (03:55)
"Think Poetry's Pretentious? America's New Poet Laureate Just Might Change Your Mind" External
North Carolina Public Radio. June 16, 2017 (05:50)
"Tracy K. Smith Named U.S. Poet Laureate" External
Morning Edition, NPR. June 14, 2017 (2:53)
"Is 'Useful' Poetry the Answer to Political Discord?" External
North Carolina Public Radio. February 8, 2017 (6:35)
"Tracy K. Smith on Life, Death, Poetry and Outer Space" External
Writers & Company, CBC Radio. May 29, 2016 (55:33)
Tracy K. Smith External
Words on a Wire, KTEP. June 28, 2015 (28:27)
"Does Poetry Still Matter? Yes Indeed, Says NPR NewsPoet" External
Weekend Edition Saturday, NPR. April 6, 2013 (5:47)

Podcasts and other non-radio audio recordings featuring Tracy K. Smith are listed below.

"Binah: Former Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith" External
Binah, KALW. February 17, 2022.
"Radical Imagination: Tracy K. Smith, Marilyn Nelson, and Terrance Hayes on Poetry in Our Times" External
The New Yorker Poetry Podcast. July 24, 2020 (46:05)
"US Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith Visits Kentucky" External
Think Humanities. May 8, 2018 (37:35)
"Poets Laureate Rita Dove and Tracy K. Smith in Conversation" External
National Endowment for the Arts. March 22, 2018 (28:18)
"The Poet: Tracy K. Smith" External
American Masters podcast, PBS. December 2017 (48:09)
Town Music Performance External
Second Inversion. February 24, 2016

Many videos of Tracy K. Smith reading and discussing her work can be found through the following sources:

Tracy K. Smith on YouTube External
"Watch new poet laureate Tracy K. Smith read two of her poems" External
PBS NewsHour. June 14, 2017
"Tracy K. Smith on Wade in the Water: Poems at the 2018 National Book Festival" External
PBS Books YouTube Channel. September 1, 2018 (15:34)
"Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith on Making Poetry Accessible" External
CBS This Morning. July 27, 2017 (5:56)
"4 Poets You Need to Read, From New Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith" External
PBS NewsHour. June 23, 2017 (3:08)
"Breaking Down Tracy K. Smith’s Poem 'Solstice'" External
The New Yorker. March 6, 2017 (2:52)
"Tracy K. Smith on Ordinary Light: A Memoir" External
AWP Bookfair. February 11, 2017 (11:50)
"The Spirit That Is Charged: A Conversation about Poetry and Friendship with Tina Chang and Tracy K. Smith" External
Cave Canem. May 19, 2016 (1:36:17)
"Ordinary Light" External
Book TV, C-SPAN. March 3, 2015 (20:27)
"Lunch Poems - Tracy K. Smith" External
University of California, Berkeley. December 4, 2008 (30:55)

Selected online reviews of Tracy K. Smith's poetry and prose.

Reviews

Wade in the Water (2018)

Ordinary Light: A Memoir (2015)

Life on Mars (2011)

Duende (2007)

The Body's Question (2003)

Persephone Magazine External