William Jay Smith (born 22 April 1918) is an American poet. He was appointed the nineteenth Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress from 1968 to 1970.
Famous quotes containing the words william, jay and/or smith:
“For each age is a dream that is dying,
Or one that is coming to birth.”
—Arthur William Edgar O’Shaughnessy (1844–1881)
“Jerry: She’s one of those third-year girls that gripe my liver.
Milo: Third-year girls?
Jerry: Yeah, you know, American college kids. They come over here to take their third year and lap up a little culture. They give me a swift pain.
Milo: Why?
Jerry: They’re officious and dull. They’re always making profound observations they’ve overheard.”
—Alan Jay Lerner (1918–1986)
“Tasting of the sweet damp woods and of the rain one inch above the meadow:
It was like feasting upon air.”
—William Jay Smith (b. 1918)