On July 12, 2022, Ada Limon was named the 24th Poet Laureate of the United States by the Library of Congress. The position was authorized by an act of Congress in 1985. Appointed by the Librarian of Congress, the poet laureate’s office is administered by the Center for the Book. Limón will assume her duties on September 29,. In the meantime, here are the books by previous U.S. Poet Laureates in the NLS Collection.
For more information: https://newsroom.loc.gov/news/librarian-of-congress-names-ada-lim-n-the-nation-s-24th-u.s.-poet-laureate/s/44d3bf04-61fa-465d-89f7-6ace60f0790a
2022-present: Ada Limón
2019–2022: Joy Harjo
| AMERICAN SUNRISE: POEMS DB 101306, BR 22723 | |
| CONFLICT RESOLUTION FOR HOLY BEINGS: POEMS DB 100519, BR 22835 | |
| CRAZY BRAVE: MEMOIR DB 97592, BR 22807 | |
| HOW WE BECAME HUMAN: NEW AND SELECTED POEMS DB 96674, BR 22778 | |
| POET WARRIOR LB 13827 |
2017–2019: Tracy K. Smith
| LIFE ON MARS: POEMS DB 74916, en español: DB 104879 | |
| SUCH COLOR: NEW AND SELECTED POEMS DB 106653 | |
| WADE IN THE WATER: POEMS DB 91468, BR 22310 |
2015–2017: Juan Felipe Herrera
| BORDER-CROSSER WITH A LAMBORGHINI DREAM: POEMS DB 106520 | |
| FEATHERLESS/DESPLUMADO: STORY/CUENTO BR 16017 | |
| HALF OF THE WORLD IN LIGHT: NEW AND SELECTED POEMS DBE 00018 | |
| JABBERWALKING BR 22695 | |
| UPSIDE DOWN BOY: EL NINO DE CABEZA BR 13098 |
2014–2015: Charles Wright
| BLACK ZODIAC BR 11995 | |
| OBLIVION BANJO: THE POETRY OF CHARLES WRIGHT DB 102171 |
2012–2014: Natasha Trethewey
| BEYOND KATRINA: A MEDITATION ON THE MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST BR 19612 | |
| MEMORIAL DRIVE: A DAUGHTER’S MEMOIR DB 100452 | |
| MONUMENT: POEMS: NEW AND SELECTED DB 94262, BR 22650 | |
| NATIVE GUARD DB 65666 | |
| THRALL: POEMS DB 75891 |
2011–2012: Philip Levine
| MERCY: POEMS BR 12822 | |
| NEW SELECTED POEMS DB 74619 | |
| SEVEN YEARS FROM SOMEWHERE: POEMS BR 04555 | |
| SIMPLE TRUTH: POEMS BR 10139 | |
| WHAT WORK IS: POEMS DB 34000 |
2010–2011: W. S. Merwin
| LOST UPLAND DB 36307 | |
| OPENING THE HAND DB 32064 | |
| UNFRAMED ORIGINALS: RECOLLECTIONS DB 19263 |
2008–2010: Kay Ryan
| BEST OF IT: NEW AND SELECTED POEMS DB 72287 | |
| SYNTHESIZING GRAVITY: SELECTED PROSE DB 100002, BR 23143 |
2007–2008: Charles Simic
| BOOKS OF GODS AND DEVILS DB 33645 | |
| HOTEL INSOMNIA DB 37392 | |
| NEW AND SELECTED POEMS: 1962-2012 DB 83462 | |
| SCRIBBLED IN THE DARK: POEMS DB 89595 | |
| VOICE AT 3:00 A.M.: SELECTED LATE AND NEW POEMS DB 63320 | |
| WALKING THE BLACK CAT: POEMS BR 10814 | |
| WEDDING IN HELL: POEMS DB 39978 | |
| WORLD DOESN’T END DB 32955, BR 08498 |
2006–2007: Donald Hall
| CARNIVAL OF LOSSES: NOTES NEARING NINETY DB 92353, BR 22422 | |
| CONTEMPORARY AMERICAN POETRY BR 01245 | |
| ESSAYS AFTER EIGHTY DB 80647, BR 20675 | |
| HERE AT EAGLE POND DB 34441 | |
| IDEAL BAKERY DB 28382 | |
| LIFE WORK DB 37596 | |
| LUCY’S CHRISTMAS DB 40911 | |
| LUCY’S SUMMER DB 40904 | |
| OLD AND NEW POEMS DB 34487 | |
| OLD HOME DAY DB 45071 | |
| ONE DAY: A POEM IN THREE PARTS DB 30743 | |
| OX-CART MAN DB 21584, BR 05914 | |
| POETRY SAMPLER LB 00200 | |
| PRINCIPAL PRODUCTS OF PORTUGAL: PROSE PIECES DB 41857 | |
| SEASONS AT EAGLE POND DB 28160 | |
| SELECTED POEMS OF DONALD HALL DB 85035, BR 21568 | |
| STRING TOO SHORT TO BE SAVED LB 02513 | |
| UNPACKING THE BOXES: A MEMOIR OF A LIFE IN POETRY DB 68474 | |
| WHEN WILLARD MET BABE RUTH BR 10788 | |
| WHITE APPLES AND THE TASTE OF STONE: SELECTED POEMS, 1946-2006 DB 64104 | |
| WITHOUT: POEMS BR 11891 |
2004–2006: Ted Kooser
| DELIGHTS AND SHADOWS DB 60382 | |
| POETRY HOME REPAIR MANUAL: PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR BEGINNING POETS DB 61714 | |
| MR POSEY’S NEW GLASSES DB 106348 | |
| WHEELING YEAR DBC 01971 |
2003–2004: Louise Glück
| AMERICAN ORIGINALITY: ESSAYS ON POETRY DB 101223, BR 23461 | |
| FAITHFUL AND VIRTUOUS NIGHT DB 101237, BR 23465 | |
| MEADOWLANDS DB 43058 | |
| POEMS 1962-2012 DB 79850 | |
| TRIUMPH OF ACHILLES BR 06473 | |
| WILD IRIS DB 37600 | |
| WINTER RECIPES FROM THE COLLECTIVE DB 106655 |
2001–2003: Billy Collins
| AIMLESS LOVE: NEW AND SELECTED POEMS DB 77867, BR 20375 | |
| POETRY 180: A TURNING BACK TO POETRY DB 75492 | |
| RAIN IN PORTUGAL: POEMS DB 87464, BR 21825 | |
| SAILING ALONE AROUND THE ROOM: NEW AND SELECTED POEMS DB 53069 |
2000–2001: Stanley Kunitz
| COLLECTED POEMS DB 52239 | |
| INTERVIEWS AND ENCOUNTERS WITH STANLEY KUNITZ DB 52177 | |
| PASSING THROUGH: THE LATER POEMS, NEW AND SELECTED DB 42433 | |
| WELLFLEET WHALE AND COMPANION POEMS DBC 04231 |
1997–2000: Robert Pinsky
| AMERICANS’ FAVORITE POEMS: THE FAVORITE POEM PROJECT ANTHOLOGY DB 5000, BR 12771 | |
| FIGURED WHEEL: NEW AND COLLECTED POEMS, 1966-1996 BR 11292 | |
| HISTORY OF MY HEART DB 22693 | |
| JERSEY RAIN DB 56663 | |
| LIFE OF DAVID BR 16614 | |
| POEMS TO READ: A NEW FAVORITE POEM PROJECT ANTHOLOGY DB 55374, BR 14510 |
1995–1997: Robert Hass
| APPLE TREES AT OLEMA: NEW AND SELECTED POEMS DB 73030 | |
| HUMAN WISHES DB 40909 | |
| SUMMER SNOW: NEW POEMS DB 98754 | |
| SUN UNDER WOOD: NEW POEMS BR 10828 | |
| TIME AND MATERIALS: POEMS 1997-2005 DB 66784 | |
| TWENTIETH CENTURY PLEASURES: PROSE ON POETRY DB 25022 |
1993–1995: Rita Dove
| DARKER FACE OF THE EARTH: A VERSE PLAY IN FOURTEEN SCENES DB 39360 | |
| MOTHER LOVE: POEMS DB 41331 | |
| ON THE BUS WITH ROSA PARKS BR 12555 | |
| PLAYLIST FOR THE APOCALYPSE: POEMS DB 105310, BR 23936 | |
| SELECTED POEMS DB 40038 | |
| THOMAS AND BEULAH DB 27316 | |
| THROUGH THE IVORY GATE DB 36005 |
1992–1993: Mona Van Duyn
| FIREFALL: POEMS DB 37002 | |
| IF IT BE NOT I: COLLECTED POEMS, 1959-1982 DB 37854 | |
| NEAR CHANGES: POEMS DB 35335 |
1991–1992: Joseph Brodsky
| COLLECTED POEMS IN ENGLISH DB 51984 | |
| LESS THAN ONE: SELECTED ESSAYS DB 24352, BR 08784 | |
| NATIVITY POEMS BR 14350 | |
| ON GRIEF AND REASON: ESSAYS DB 42661 | |
| SO FORTH: POEMS BR 10774 | |
| TO URANIA: SELECTED POEMS DB 28616 | |
| WATERMARK DB 35031 |
1990–1991: Mark Strand
| BLIZZARD OF ONE: POEMS DB 50109 | |
| CONTINUOUS LIFE DB 32952 | |
| DARKER DB 32314 | |
| MONUMENT DB 32599 | |
| SELECTED POEMS DB 37399 |
1988–1990: Howard Nemerov
| HOWARD NEMEROV READER DB 39005 | |
| INSIDE THE ONION DB 21035 | |
| TRYING CONCLUSIONS: NEW AND SELECTED POEMS, 1961-1991 DB 36418 |
1987–1988: Richard Wilbur
| COLLECTED POEMS, 1943-2004 DB 63295 | |
| NEW AND COLLECTED POEMS BR 07575 |
1986–1987: Robert Penn Warren
| ALL THE KING’S MEN DB 53553, BR 13840 | |
| AUDUBON, A VISION BR 01238 | |
| BAND OF ANGELS DB 11520 | |
| CIRCUS IN THE ATTIC AND OTHER STORIES DB 46060, BR 11646 | |
| LEGACY OF THE CIVIL WAR DBC 03376, BR 12296 | |
| NEW AND SELECTED ESSAYS DB 29919, BR 08067 | |
| NEW AND SELECTED POEMS, 1923-1985 DB 42648 | |
| PLACE TO COME TO DB 52041 | |
| PORTRAIT OF A FATHER DB 29884 | |
| WORLD ENOUGH AND TIME DB 60856 |