Poet Laureate

A poet voted by the Royal Court to write poems and hymns to praise the recent king or queen., usually for state occasion or national days of glory. In the Restoration period the best known poet laureate was John Dryden. He was the fifth poet that got this title, but he was the first, who got the official title that was instituted in 1668 by letters patent granting the office during pleasure. (Look at: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=43805#n1 ). He lost the title for political reasons after the Glorious Revolution. The title was adopted from the Greek and Roman custom of crowning successful men with a wreath of laurel. There is a list of duties of the crowned poet: “The English Poet Laureate is the realm's official poet. • The Poet Laureate is a member of the royal household • The Poet Laureate is charged with writing verses for court and national occasions such as the monarch's birthday, royal births and marriages, coronations and military victories • The Poet Laureate was originally awarded the position for life, however, from 1999 the post is limited to 10 years • The Poet Laureate is chosen by the British reigning monarch from a list of nominees that the Prime Minister compiles after the death of a poet laureate • It is the Lord Chamberlain who appoints the poet laureate by issuing a warrant to the laureate-elect • The life appointment is always announced in the London Gazette.” (http://www.love-poems.me.uk/a_poet_laureate.htm

Nowadays there is also a poet laureate in the USA. Look for details of voting and payment at http://www.loc.gov/poetry/about_laureate.html . Todays English poet laureate is Andrew Motion. This position is now given by the prime minister and a poet stays usually for ten years in office until the next one is elected.