Mona Van Duyn Summary

Mona Van Duyn (born 1921) was the first woman to be appointed poet laureate of the United States, serving from October 1992 to May 1993.On the occasion of Mona Van Duyn's appointment as poet laureate,... Read more

In the following excerpt, Woods surveys some of the poems in Valentines to the Wide World. Mona Van Duyn appears to be a fully-engaged poet. She is not the house organ of any special lobby, but is try... Read more

In the following review, Earnshaw praises If It Be Not I, noting a few "shortcomings," but declaring the collected poems "rich, wise, and beautiful." It is of course fascin... Read more

In the following review, Kalstone offers a positive view of To See, To Take. To See, To Take, Mona Van Duyn's title, like our first verbs, sounds innocent at the outset, fierce and telling late... Read more

In the following review, Shapiro provides a mixed review of Merciful Disguises. Mona Van Duyn's poems, crammed with reality, present a curious case. She has been much honored by the academy... Read more

In the following review, Hass commends Letters from a Father, and Other Poems. Duyn was born in Iowa and lives in St. Louis. Her selected poems, Merciful Disguises, was published in 1973, and has been... Read more

In the following excerpt, Lattimore offers praise for Letters from a Father, and Other Poems. In her sixth book, [Letters from a Father, and Other Poems,] Mona Van Duyn writes mostly blank verse more ... Read more