Southern Sensibility

Charles Wright, professor emeritus of the UVA English department’s Creative Writing Program, was named 2014-15 Poet Laureate of the United States by the Library of Congress in June.

“Charles Wright is a master of the meditative, image-driven lyric,” says Librarian of Congress James H. Billington, who made the appointment. “Wright’s body of work combines a Southern sensibility with an allusive expansiveness, for moments of singular musicality.”

“I’m very honored and flattered to be picked, but also somewhat confused,” Wright said when reached for comment by the New York Times in June. “I really don’t know what I’m supposed to do. But as soon as I find out, I’ll do it.”

Wright has published 24 books of poetry, the most recent being Caribou, published earlier this year, and won the Pulitzer Prize in 1998 for Black Zodiac.

Wright taught at UVA from 1983 to 2011, and after the poet laureate announcement, spent some time returning phone calls from former students sending their congratulations, he said.