NEMEROV, Howard, edited by

Poets on Poetry

First edition. Near fine in near fine dustwrapper which is rather stained on the spine. Inscribed by Nemerov to, Phyllis Armstrong, his assistant while he served as Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress: "for Phyllis, affectionately, Howard Nemerov." Armstrong's assistance on this volume is acknowledged by Nemerov in the Preface. Armstrong was the Assistant in Poetry at the Library of Congress where she bullied, cajoled and served the various poets who served as Poetry Consultant (later changed to Poet Laureate) for 24 years. She was appointed by Karl Shapiro in 1946 who said in retrospect that she handled, "one difficult poet after another, for which she deserved the Congressional Medal of Honor." A tall, chain-smoking, Canadian poet, she reminded Randall Jarrell of T.S. Eliot. She was inextricably bound-up with the history of that office. When questioned about his tenure, Howard Nemerov said: "I had no problems. I just did what Phyllis told me to do."

[BTC #47718]