U.S. Poet Laureate spotlights translation in new collection

The U.S. Poet Laureate outlined a project called Transient Worlds, a collection of 23 poems translated from 13 languages, and said translation has shaped their work and approach to reading and writing. The speaker described translation as "the deepest form of reading" and said literary translation reveals shared human experience across languages. They said the goal of the U.S. Poet Laureate is to champion poetry and noted that each laureate is free to design how they fulfill that role. The speaker credited the Library of Congress with playing "a crucial role" by endowing a fund that frees the poet laureate position to support creation, publication and digital dissemination of poetry nationwide. The presentation emphasized the laureate's focus on poetry in translation and the broader aim of widening and deepening the appreciation of poetry across the country. The presentation did not include formal motions, votes, or administrative actions.