U.S. Postal Service Honors Ten Poets With Forever Stamps

Posted on April 24, 2012

The U.S. Postal Service has honored 10 of U.S. poets of the 20th century with 45-cent First-Class Mail Forever stamps. The Twentieth-Century Poets honored by the Postal Service include Elizabeth Bishop, Joseph Brodsky, Gwendolyn Brooks, E.E. Cummings, Robert Hayden, Denise Levertov, Sylvia Plath, Theodore Roethke, Wallace Stevens and William Carlos Williams.

Each stamp features a photograph of one of the 10 poets. Text on the back of the stamp sheet includes an excerpt from one poem by each poet. The art director was Derry Noyes.

David Williams, U.S. Postal Service vice president, Network Operations, said in a statement, "Throughout the ages, poetry has been regarded as important and providing unique value, giving us all a better understanding of life. That is why the Postal Service is so proud to be dedicating a new commemorative Forever stamp pane that celebrates 10 of our nation's most admired poets, which include United States Poet Laureates, Pulitzer Prize winners and National Book Award winners."

Image: United States Postal Service