One of the highest honors
bestowed upon a poet is to be officially appointed by a government or
conferring agency as Poet Laureate. As a poet laureate, individuals are
expected to compose poems for special occasions and events, while receiving a
stipend of $35,000. In ancient Greece, the laurel was sacred and used to form a
crown of honor for poets and heroes.
According to Wikipedia,
the word laureate came to signify eminence or
association with glory. Laureate
letters were once the dispatches announcing a victory. The term laureate became
associated with degrees awarded by European universities (such as baccalaureate
reflected for a Bachelor’s Degree). During the term of the Poet Laureate, they
seek to raise the national consciousness to a greater and deeper appreciation
of reading and writing poetry.
Check out the list of
current State Poets Laureate http://www.loc.gov/rr/main/poets/current.html
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