New York — American Poet Laureate Arthur Sze He was appointed to a second one-year term by the Library of Congress, where he served without incident despite the ousting of the Librarian of Congress last year Carla Hayden.
Sze, a highly regarded poet and translator, said in a statement on Tuesday that he plans to travel to the country with his “Words Bridge Worlds” project, which will include readings, discussions and workshops.
“I’m excited to begin taking my signature project, Words Bridgeing Worlds, to multiple cities to celebrate poetry and poetry in translation, and where people can use the book to try to translate poems from another language into English,” he said.
Sze, 75, began his first term as poet laureate last fall, during a period of turmoil at the library. President Donald Trump He had fired Hayden a few months earlier, as part of his fight against what he calls a “woke” culture in government institutions. Trump has also paid Smithsonian Institution To avoid “divisive narratives”, the leadership was forced to resign Kennedy Center While adding his name to the center’s building, prompting several performers to cancel planned appearances. The center will be closed for repairs this summer.
But since Hayden’s departure, the Library of Congress has stayed out of the news and continues to hold traditional events like the National Book Festival. The White House appointed the then Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche as acting librarian, but library announcements about all of Sze’s appointments identify longtime library official Robert Randolph Newlin as acting librarian.
“Arthur Sze opens up the world of poetry by giving us a unique view of the process of writing and translating poetry — and challenges students and the public to try writing and translating poetry, too,” Newlin said in a statement Tuesday.
According to the library’s website, the winners, who are expected to avoid political commentary, have a mission to “raise the national consciousness to a greater appreciation for the reading and writing of poetry.” Sze’s ancestors include Joy Harjo, Robert Penske and Billy Collins.
Sze’s poetry collections include Lines of Sight, winner of the National Book Award, and Compass Rose, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. “Passing Worlds,” in which Sze highlights poetry in translation, was released on Tuesday.