Yale University announced Glück as recipient of the 2001 Bollingen Prize in Poetry on March 27, 2001.
On March 27, 2001, Yale University announced that Louise Glück had been awarded the prestigious Bollingen Prize in Poetry, one of the most significant honors an American poet can receive. Administered by Yale University Library, the biennial prize recognizes the best book published by an American poet in the preceding two years or a poet's lifetime achievement.
The Bollingen Prize, established in 1948, has a storied and sometimes controversial history, having first been awarded to Ezra Pound amid significant public debate. By the time Glück received it, the prize was firmly established as one of the highest accolades in American poetry, with previous winners including such luminaries as Wallace Stevens, Marianne Moore, and Adrienne Rich.
Glück's selection reflected the cumulative achievement of her body of work through the 1990s, including collections such as The Wild Iris, Meadowlands, and Vita Nova, which had established her as one of the preeminent voices in contemporary poetry. The award further cemented her standing among the critical and academic establishment and preceded her appointment as U.S. Poet Laureate by two years. The Bollingen Prize is notable for being judged by a distinguished panel of literary experts rather than a popular vote, underscoring the depth of critical respect Glück had earned by this point in her career.