Poet, Author
Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
1962
Citation:
The ancient Greeks celebrated public festivals to honor their poets, those divinely inspired mortals who created their nation's arts and recorded its legends, songs and histories. So, too, the American people have paid tribute to their poets. The American people have long recognized that among contemporary poets Robert Frost stands without peer. He has written poems which will be part of our culture as long as English is spoken and read. He is the most widely read of our important poets, and comes closest to being our national poet. For this he has been rightly honored by his countrymen. Robert Frost has received more poetry awards, more Pulitzer prizes, more appointments as "poet in residence" at colleges and universities, and more honorary degrees than any American since our country was founded. But Robert Frost is more than a poet who practices his craft. He is a man of letters in the tradition of the Renaissance, one who has taken all knowledge for his province. Not only in his poetry, but in his private and public conversations, in his correspondence, and in his teaching, Robert Frost has revealed a breadth and depth of knowledge in literature, religion, science, politics and education. He has always infused this knowledge with the warmth of his humanity and his wisdom. The University of Detroit is pleased to give public recognition of the achievements of Robert Frost as a poet and humanist, who has advanced permanently the art of poetry and the importance of the liberal arts in our national life. The citation was read on the occasion of the conferring of the Honorary Degree of Humane Letters upon Robert Frost by the University of Detroit, Tuesday, November 13, 1962.