Following the long legacy of old, white men...

by Rosemari

Photo by Geoffry Berliner

This morning, the Library of Congress announced the appointment of Philip Levine as the Poet Laureate in a press release issued here. If I had the opportunity to write it, it might start out like this: 

"Following the long legacy of old, white men, yet another old, white man has been appointed as the Poet Laureate by The Library of Congress." 

Since 1937, only 14 Poet Laureates have been women. A mere two African Americans have held the post, with no apparent representation from Latinos or Asian Americans. I am aware that diversity takes on many shapes and sizes. I am sure that Levine, as a son of Russian Jewish immigrants from Detroit, he has an interesting perspective.

Still, it's hard to imagine that the United States lacks qualified poets from groups other than this demographic of old, white men, whose their unique perspective and art would further enrich our national culture.