European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 20, 1968, Darmstadt, Hesse                                7t r flip of � daily Magazine in Alabama it s Ben Henderson a59-year-old assistant hotel  Maryland it s Vinceni Godfrey Burns 73, a congregationalist minister i Colorado there s Milford e. Shields 69, a motion picture projectionist. They Are poets laureate All. It May come As a Surprise Lut there Are at least 17 poets laureate in America income 15 states. Pulitzer prize winning poetess Gwen Dolyn Brooks expressed mild Shock when she heard she was name to re place the late Carl Sandburg As Illinois poet laureate. "1 did t even know Illinois had a poet  she said. Kentucky has three poets laureate in the interest of political peace. Mis Souri liked the work of Nebraska laureate John g. Neihardt so much it lured him away and adopted him As it sown. Alaska names its poets laureate for two year terms expiring with each state legislature. Texas turns Over a new one every year currently it i Kathleen Henry Harris. Adeline Jenney of Valley Springs pop. 475is the poet laureate for South Dakota. She s 94, was appointed in 1958when Badger Clark died after holding the Honor for 23 years. James Larkin Pearson 89, who has been a Printer newspaper reporter and writer was appointed North Carolina sport laureate in 1953. Arkansas poet laureate since 1953, Isa widow Rosa Zagnoni Marinoni. She replaced the late c. T. Davis sr.,who had served As the state s poet laureate since 1923, when the office was created by legislative Resolution. To those who think thai a poet Laurel Wreath makes him a captive chained to the local rocks and rills an doomed to eulogize the state s politicians and their ceremonies it just in Tso. Archibald Rutledge 85 for 34 year South Carolina s poet laureate once said "1 have never Felt obligated to write a poem lauding political figures. If anybody asked me to write a thing i m sure to  Georgia s poet laureate Agnes Ezeil Bramblitt 81, is obligated to write poems on request for the governor or the Gen eral Assembly. But she s never been asked. The people at the Capitol Don think much of poet laureates she said. The poet laureate is something the take like a  but mrs. Bramblett thinks the offi Ceol poet laureate is important and should be considered so. "1 always put it first she says. And she thinks every state should have one. A Connecticut does t have a poet Lau reate. It does t even have a state  it does have As a citizen Louis Untermeyer noted poet Anu Anth Logist who agrees with mrs. Bramblett that a National poet laureate just in t prac tical. "1 Don t think any one person can express America he said. It s to varied too  Lon tinkle Dallas morning news Book editor took a look at the poet laureate of Texas in 1960, and wrote what began As a Noble idea to Cham Pion the poet s contribution to our life has become a hollow Honor. The legis lature has about As much business deciding on poet laureate As it has Nam ing  Maryland s poet laureate Vincent Burns has been the Center of almost constant controversy since his appoint ment in 1962. A Strong conservative he attended meetings of segregationist groups and the state interracial coun cil called on the governor to forbid such acts or remove him from office. When he was quoted As attacking the supreme court state officials called for nullification of his appointment. Burn says he understands he holds his Post for life. In last year s gubernatorial race he wrote a five stanza poem for the demo cratic candidate who lost to Republican spire t. Agnew. I Don t think Agne would hold it against me he said. He then penned a poem for Agnew s inauguration. Now Burns has turned his poetic Han against a proposed new state Constitution and last year he survived a revolting the Maryland poetry society which spawned new headlines and a television show called the Battle of the  mostly poets laureate go on writing their poetry As they always have. Illi Nois Gwendolyn Brooks for instance continues to write of the sorrows and laughter of the slums. But whether the Yare famous or unknown whatever the subject of their poems they share one sad reality they Are essentially unpaid. Poetry like virtue is its own re Ward. A by Ronald Thomson a staff writer a poet laureate Cecil Day Lewis shooed the sleep ing cat of a pile of his Manu scripts and looked thoughtful. The Waythe Queen s poet should. Frankly no one knows just wha Britain s poet laureate is supposed to do he said. "1 Don t intend to be som sort of court trumpeter. When 1 write a Public poem it will have to be about something that touches the nation in a big Way. Of course one must  the Royal family sex communist agnostic mystery writer and family Man Day Lewis was an unexpected Choice to succeed Chelate John Masefield As Queen Eliza Beth s official Persifer he s certainly the Only poet laureate who Ever sold the daily. Worker. That was Back inthe 1930s when Day Lewis and Many other intellectuals campaigned wit the communists Over such searing issues As the Spanish civil war."1 suppose it s because i m Irish Bui i be always had a natural prejudice forthe Small battalion Day Lewis said. That s one of the reasons 1 joined the communist party before the War he resigned in 1939. It was then the Small est battalion in the  a tall Grey haired Man of 63, gentle in voice and manner Day Lewis has Long been regarded As one of Britain major poets. He s a traditionalist who enjoys striking precise images in verse rather than weaving abstract patterns. Nevertheless it was still a Shock today Lewis and Many other poetical writing thrillers keeps pantry full for poet laureate c. Day Lewis. Types when prime minister Harold Wilson announced his appointment As poet laureate. The Job at a nominal $168 a year was expected to go either to Robert Graves or John Betjeman. Let s face it added the new Royal poet. This Job does t pay enough to keep a family. But i m aware of the great Honor and the obligation to carry on the traditions of  Day Lewis is firmly opposed to writ ing what he Calls court poetry pieces of verse inspired Only by formal occasion like the birthday of the Queen. If something particularly moves me about Royalty 1 shall write about it but not  prefers to be regarded As a people s poet. One of his efforts inthe depression years went like this thy Mother is cry Purthy dad s on the Dole. Two shillings a week Isth Price of a soul. Day Lewis today is a Dif Terem Manfrom the revolutionary of his Youthful years. But he remains an idealist socialist a Man dedicated to the humanities. The bread and butter come from the score of thrillers he has written under the pseudonym Nicholas Blake i just completing a new one Day Lewis said indicating some papers on which the cat had been dating. Of course 1 shall go on writing  the poet laureate considers him self a poet first and a mystery write second hand it is by poetry that he shapes his life. Monday May 20, 1968 the stars and strips Page