-
On W. S. Merwin and Paul Carroll
I want to celebrate the selection of W. S. Merwin for U.S. Poet Laureate. I encountered him first though his collection The Lice in a contemporary poetry class taught by James Doyle, and it’s still a touchstone book for me. Soon after that I stumbled on his great poem “Lemuel’s Blessing” in Paul Carroll‘s indispensable book The Poem in Its Skin (see below), and I was hooked. Merwin is one of maybe 20 poets I go back to when I get depressed over my own poetry or the poetry I’ve been reading.Read More
-
Notice: Kay Ryan is POTUS
I have to admit I don’t know enough about Kay Ryan’s work to celebrate or complain about her elevation to Poet Laureate of the United States (a.k.a, POTUS). Ron Silliman chooses to complain, seeing Ryan as “the 47th consecutive School of Quietude poet to hold the position in its 71 year history”; that is, he spins her like a grindstone to sharpen his favorite axe.Read More
Joseph Hutchison, Colorado Poet Laureate 2014-2019, has published 20 collections of poems and edited or co-edited three poetry anthologies. He currently directs two master’s-level programs for University College at the University of Denver: Professional Creative Writing and Arts & Culture Management. Joe lives with his wife, Melody Madonna, in the mountains southwest of Denver, Colorado, the city where he was born. 
