Favorite Poem Project

Favorite Poem Project is a national American arts initiative launched during the tenure of Robert Pinsky as the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. Founded in 1997, it sought to document and celebrate the role of poetry in the civic and personal lives of citizens from all walks of life. The project's core mission was to highlight the intimate, individual connections people form with poems, moving beyond academic analysis. It was initially administered through the Library of Congress before being housed at Boston University.

Background and founding

The initiative was conceived by Robert Pinsky shortly after his appointment as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 1997. Pinsky's vision was a democratic counterpoint to the notion that poetry was an elitist or purely academic art form. He was inspired by the profound, personal responses he witnessed during his public readings and sought to create a lasting archive of this phenomenon. With support from the Library of Congress and major grants from institutions like the National Endowment for the Arts and the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the project formally commenced. Its founding coincided with a period of renewed public interest in verse, partly fueled by the poetry slam movement and the work of previous laureates like Rita Dove.

Project description and activities

The central activity involved a national invitation for Americans to submit their favorite poems and explain their personal significance. This generated an unprecedented archive of over 18,000 submissions from individuals of diverse ages, professions, and backgrounds. A key output was a series of short documentary videos, produced in collaboration with Boston University, featuring participants from across the United States reading and speaking about their chosen poems. These videos showcased readings in meaningful personal settings, such as a Baltimore steelworker reciting in his factory. The project also produced three anthologies, including Americans' Favorite Poems, edited by Pinsky and Maggie Dietz. Further activities included community readings, educational partnerships with K–12 schools, and the development of lesson plans for teachers.

Impact and reception

The initiative was widely praised for making poetry accessible and for showcasing its emotional resonance in everyday life. It received significant media coverage from outlets like The New York Times, The Today Show, and National Public Radio, bringing national attention to public engagement with the arts. Educators utilized its materials to invigorate poetry curricula, and the video archive became a valuable resource for demonstrating performative and personal interpretation. The project is credited with influencing subsequent public-facing poetry initiatives, including the Poetry Out Loud national recitation contest. It reinforced the public role of the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress and provided a model for community-based arts documentation.

Notable participants and poems

The project featured a vast array of participants, from celebrated figures to private citizens. Notable individuals who contributed included former President Bill Clinton, who selected The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot, and actor John Lithgow. The archive highlighted profound connections to classic works such as Emily Dickinson's "Because I could not stop for Death", Robert Frost's "The Road Not Taken", and Langston Hughes' "The Negro Speaks of Rivers". It also featured contemporary poems by writers like Billy Collins, Maya Angelou, and Seamus Heaney. The videos often highlighted poignant pairings, such as a young student in Chicago discussing Gwendolyn Brooks or a nurse reflecting on William Carlos Williams.

Related initiatives and legacy

The ethos directly inspired similar projects, including local "Favorite Poem" readings in communities from San Francisco to Miami. Its methodological approach informed later digital humanities and public history projects that prioritize citizen testimony. The archival materials remain a resource for scholars studying public literacy and the social life of poetry. Furthermore, the project's success demonstrated the viability of large-scale, publicly-funded arts engagement, paving the way for programs supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Its legacy endures in the continued emphasis on personal connection and recitation within educational programs and public arts advocacy across the United States.

Category:American poetry Category:Poetry organizations Category:Library of Congress