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End-of-Year Reflections from Ted Kooser

As we reach the end of the year, U.S. poet laureate Ted Kooser joins host Melissa Block to read a reflection on welcoming in a new year, from a book of his prose: Local Wonders.

For 35 years, Kooser worked in the life insurance business, waking up in the early morning hours to write his poetry. He retired six years ago and now lives in rural Nebraska.

Kooser is in his second year as the nation's poet laureate, and won the Pulitzer Prize this spring.

Below, Kooser shares some more reflections on bidding an old year goodbye and on the winter season, in poetry and in prose.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

As special correspondent and guest host of NPR's news programs, Melissa Block brings her signature combination of warmth and incisive reporting. Her work over the decades has earned her journalism's highest honors, and has made her one of NPR's most familiar and beloved voices.

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SOMOS CONNECTICUT es una iniciativa de Connecticut Public, la emisora local de NPR y PBS del estado, que busca elevar nuestras historias latinas y expandir programación que alza y informa nuestras comunidades latinas locales. Visita CTPublic.org/latino para más reportajes y recursos. Para noticias, suscríbase a nuestro boletín informativo en ctpublic.org/newsletters.

The independent journalism and non-commercial programming you rely on every day is in danger.

If you’re reading this, you believe in trusted journalism and in learning without paywalls. You value access to educational content kids love and enriching cultural programming.

Now all of that is at risk.

Federal funding for public media is under threat and if it goes, the impact to our communities will be devastating.

Together, we can defend it. It’s time to protect what matters.

Your voice has protected public media before. Now, it’s needed again. Learn how you can protect the news and programming you depend on.