Work/Cited Episode 24: Becoming a Poet

By Ian Fowler, Curator of Maps, History and Government Information
March 20, 2023

Work/Cited is a program series that showcases the latest scholarship supported by the rich collections of The New York Public Library with a behind-the-scenes look at how the finished product was inspired, researched, and created.

In this episode author Willard Spiegelman discussed the extraordinary life of poet Amy Clampitt, detailed in his new book Nothing Stays Put: The Life and Poetry of Amy Clampitt.  

Along with NYPL’s Carolyn Vega, Spiegelman explored how one poet wrote in near-obscurity for decades before the publication of her book The Kingfisher at the age of 62 took the literary world by storm.

a black and white photograph of a woman wearing a coat and a hat with a large feather in it. She has a camera hanging around her neck.

Amy Clampitt with camera and feather on board ship (either 1949 or 1951).

Courtesy of the Estate of Amy Clampitt.

Episode Recording and Transcript

A transcript of this episode is available here

Related Resources

Here are some handy links to materials and sources suggested in the episode: 

About the Work/Cited Series

Work/Cited is a program series that showcases the latest scholarship supported by the rich collections of The New York Public Library with a behind-the-scenes look at how the finished product was inspired, researched, and created. Catch up on previous episodes on the NYPL blog, where videos and links to related resources are posted shortly after each program. Sign up for NYPL's Research Newsletter or view the events calendar to hear about future programs as they are announced.