CALL FOR PAPERS

According to the Library of Congress, the poet laureate "serves as the
nation's official lightning rod for the poetic impulse of Americans."
Relatively little scholarship, however, has been published about this
prominent public position. New and established poets and/or scholars
are encouraged to submit 300-500 word abstracts/proposals for a
collection of essays tentatively called Reading the Laureates:
Conducting the American Poetic Impulse. Essays should focus on: the
work and/or life of one or several laureates of the United States; the
history and/or politics of the laureateship; one or many of the
various projects initiated by laureates (e.g., Billy Collins' Poetry
180, Robert Pinsky's Favorite Poem Project, Ted Kooser's American Life
in Poetry); teaching the work of one or more laureates; or any topic
contending critically with the position itself.

(Note: The position has existed under two separate titles: from 1937
to 1986 as "Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress" and from
1986 forward as "Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry." Essays should
focus on any "Consultant" or "Laureate" from 1937 to the present.
Further information can be found at http://loc.gov/poetry.)

Send abstract/proposals and brief cv to J.D. Schraffenberger via email
(.doc or .rtf attachment): jschraf1_at_binghamton.edu or by mail to
J.D. Schraffenberger, English Department, Binghamton University, PO
Box 6000, Binghamton, NY 13902.

Deadline for abstracts: 15 November 2006
Deadline for accepted essays: 15 January 2007

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Received on Thu Oct 12 2006 - 11:20:43 EDT