US poet laureate addressing dinner at USC

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — America’s poet laureate of 2011 is set to address the annual Thomas Cooper Society dinner at the University of South Carolina, where he will receive the community organization’s highest award.

W.S. Merwin speaks Friday at at the Hollings Special Collections Library on the USC campus. Merwin is being presented with the Thomas Cooper Society Medal.

Merwin is the author of more than 30 books of poetry, translation and prose.