The LOC.GOV Wise Guide : Poetry Across the Atlantic

The nation's capital was all aflutter in May when the queen of England stopped by for a visit during the 400th anniversary celebration of the founding of Jamestown, the first permanent English settlement in North America. She wasn't the only one of her countrymen in town for an auspicious occasion. Appointed in 1999 as British poet laureate by the monarch herself, Andrew Motion joined the United States' own literary prince, Poet Laureate Donald Hall, in a joint reading in the Library's Coolidge Auditorium. The two were sharing the stage for the first time as part of a historic series sponsored by the Library, the Poetry Foundation and the London-based Poetry Society.

U.S. Poet Laureate Donald Hall and British Poet Laureate Andrew Motion

Their reading was recorded and can be viewed as one of many webcasts available from the Library of Congress.

The U.S. poet laureate has been known to play host to celebrated guests. Ted Kooser, who served in the position from 2004 through 2006, presented a program with singer-songwriter John Prine, to the delight of a packed audience. Their discussion is one of the top 10 webcasts viewed by Web site users.

These programs reflect the breadth and diversity of the programs held at the Library each year. The webcasts page provides access to these extraordinary programs in a number of ways. You can browse the programs by category, such as "Biography, History," "Culture, Performing Arts," "Government, World Affairs" or "Science and Technology." You can also view some of the recently added webcasts, which are highlighted on the page as well.

While there, make sure to subscribe to the RSS feeds, which deliver up-to-date news on new webcasts as well as upcoming Library events and new entries in the Library's blog.

A. U.S. Poet Laureate Donald Hall and British Poet Laureate Andrew Motion. 2007. Michaela McNichol. Reproduction Information: Not available for reproduction.

B. Ted Kooser and John Prine. 2005. Michaela McNichol. Reproduction Information: Not available for reproduction.