Joy Harjo will serve a second term as U.S. Poet Laureate.
Today, the Library of Congress announced that Librarian Carla Hayden has appointed beloved poet Joy Harjo to serve a second term as the 23rd Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry for the United States.
“Joy Harjo is such an inspiring and engaging poet laureate,” Hayden said in a statement. “I’m thrilled she said yes to a second term to help the Library showcase Native poets from coast-to-coast. Her profound musical and literary talents are a gift to the nation.”
During Harjo’s second term, which will begin on September 1st, the poet will focus on her signature digital project, “Living Nations, Living Words: A Map of First Peoples Poetry,” which will highlight the work and biographies of contemporary Native American Poets.
“It is an honor to serve a second term as poet laureate, especially during these times of earth transformation and cultural change,” said Harjo. “Poetry reminds us that we are connected beyond words, and to communicate through poetry has the potential to expand the conversation into wordless depths, to help us move collectively into fresh cultural vision. To get there in understanding, we begin with the roots. In this country, the roots are found in the poetry of the more than 500 living indigenous nations.”
