[applause] >> and now let's talk about tracy k. smith. you can give it up for tracy. pplause] >> when pulitzer prize winner tracy k. smith published "wade in the water" during her tenure as poet laureate of united states, critics were amazed at the ambitious and sweeping scope of her topics. upon reading the collection for the first time, i was struck by its echoes of walt whitman song of myself and its range of concerns. and i'm not alone in this thought. the atlantics review asserts smith's work contains multitudes. it is first among her experiences of mother and daughter are poems that speak truth to power in the american context including a breathtaking -- a heartbreaking section confronting slaveholding and the civil war. throughout the collection, nature permeates the imagery, not surprisingly. smith has reported in the "new york times" interview, i was an aspiring transcendentalist from a young age. explaining her fascination with the transcendentalists, smith cites the excitement that she felt on reading emily dickinson. enter college admission essays to harvar

[applause] now let's talk about tracy k. smith when pulitzer prize winner tracy smith was in the water during the two-year tenure as the poet laureate of the united states, critics were amazed at the ambition and the sweeping scope of her topics. upon reading the collection for the first time, i was struck by its echoes of walt whitman and its range of concerns and i'm not alone in this. the atlantic's review is for the work contains multitudes among the gorgeous meditations and experiences as mother and daughter they speak truth to power in the american context including a heartbreaking section come from thing slaveholding and the civil war and throughout the collection it permeates the imagery not surprisingly. smith has reported in "the new york times" interview i was in aspiring transcendentalist from a young age explaining the fascination, smith cites the excitement she felt on reading emily dickinson and the calling mission essay to harvard was on. the author notes that she has been moved, changed, deepened and inspired by t