David Wojahn is the author of six collections of poetry.
"Spirit Cabinet," an ode to the falling hour '97.
"Late Empire" in '94, "Mystery Train" in '90, "Glassworks"
in '87, which is a winner of the Society of Middling Authors
Award.
And "Icehouse Lights" in 82, winner
of the Yale Younger Poets Award selected by Richard Hugo.
He's also the author of "Strange Good Fortune," and "01,"
a collection of essays of contemporary verse.
With Jack Myers, he edited the profile of a 20th century
American poetry in '91.
He also edited, collected poems--
95, a posthumous collection of Linda Hall's poetry.
A new book, "World Tree," which I've just seen,
is forthcoming from the University of Pittsburgh
press in February of "11.
He will read from that book tonight,
so I'm looking forward to that.
He's received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation,
the National Endowment for the Arts,
the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, the Illinois Arts
Council, the Indiana Arts Commission, and the Bread Loaf
Writers Conference, as well as writing residencies
from Yaddo and the Colonies.
Among as many awards and honors are the Amy Lowell Poetry
Traveling Scholarship, the William Carlos Williams Award,
and the Cecilia B. Wagner award from the Poetry
Society of America, and three Pushcart prizes.
In 2007, David was named a finalist, one of three
for the Pulitzer Prize in poetry for his collection,
"Interrogation Palace, New and Selected Poems."
David's poetry received many accolades.
Peter Campion, writing in Poetry Magazine,
called his work "Superb, powerful, panoramic."
"Interrogation Palace," Wojahn picked the perfect title.
These poems are of both largesse and terror.
He writes with as much formal and emotional strength
as any poet alive.
Most of David's poetry is metrical,
although he works in free verse.
Usually addressing political and social issues in American life.
He often takes his moments of historical significance,
such as the assassination of John Lennon
or the Professional Decline of Jim Morrison.
He has said that he hopes his poetry is
considered an activist.
Richard Hugo selecting "Icehouse Lights" for the Yale Younger
Poets Award wrote in his introduction
that David's poems concern themselves with emotive basics,
leaving home watching those we love age
and die, inescapable drone of our mortality.
Yet his poems are far from unusual.
They help us welcome inside again and again,
the most personal of feelings.
And on a personal note, I would like
to say it was my good fortune, and not at all strange,
but I've a very great pleasure to recently
have had David as an advisor during my graduate studies
at the Vermont College of Fine Arts.
I had a rewarding exposure to his broad and penetrating,
intellect and through his openness and generosity
as a teacher and friend.
I'm very happy that he's here to help us celebrate the Poetry
Center's 50th Anniversary.
Please welcome David Wojahn.
[APPLAUSE]