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David Wojahn is the author
of six collections of poetry.

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"Spirit Cabinet," an ode
to the falling hour '97.

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"Late Empire" in '94, "Mystery
Train" in '90, "Glassworks"

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in '87, which is a winner of
the Society of Middling Authors

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Award.

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And "Icehouse
Lights" in 82, winner

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of the Yale Younger Poets
Award selected by Richard Hugo.

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He's also the author of "Strange
Good Fortune," and "01,"

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a collection of essays
of contemporary verse.

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With Jack Myers, he edited
the profile of a 20th century

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American poetry in '91.

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He also edited,
collected poems--

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95, a posthumous collection
of Linda Hall's poetry.

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A new book, "World Tree,"
which I've just seen,

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is forthcoming from the
University of Pittsburgh

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press in February of "11.

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He will read from
that book tonight,

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so I'm looking forward to that.

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He's received fellowships from
the Guggenheim Foundation,

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the National Endowment
for the Arts,

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the Fine Arts Work Center in
Provincetown, the Illinois Arts

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Council, the Indiana Arts
Commission, and the Bread Loaf

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Writers Conference, as
well as writing residencies

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from Yaddo and the Colonies.

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Among as many awards and honors
are the Amy Lowell Poetry

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Traveling Scholarship, the
William Carlos Williams Award,

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and the Cecilia B. Wagner
award from the Poetry

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Society of America, and
three Pushcart prizes.

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In 2007, David was named
a finalist, one of three

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for the Pulitzer Prize in
poetry for his collection,

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"Interrogation Palace,
New and Selected Poems."

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David's poetry received
many accolades.

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Peter Campion, writing
in Poetry Magazine,

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called his work "Superb,
powerful, panoramic."

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"Interrogation Palace," Wojahn
picked the perfect title.

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These poems are of both
largesse and terror.

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He writes with as much
formal and emotional strength

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as any poet alive.

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Most of David's
poetry is metrical,

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although he works in free verse.

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Usually addressing political and
social issues in American life.

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He often takes his moments
of historical significance,

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such as the assassination
of John Lennon

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or the Professional
Decline of Jim Morrison.

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He has said that he
hopes his poetry is

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considered an activist.

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Richard Hugo selecting "Icehouse
Lights" for the Yale Younger

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Poets Award wrote
in his introduction

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that David's poems concern
themselves with emotive basics,

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leaving home watching
those we love age

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and die, inescapable
drone of our mortality.

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Yet his poems are
far from unusual.

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They help us welcome
inside again and again,

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the most personal of feelings.

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And on a personal
note, I would like

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to say it was my good fortune,
and not at all strange,

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but I've a very great
pleasure to recently

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have had David as an advisor
during my graduate studies

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at the Vermont
College of Fine Arts.

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I had a rewarding exposure
to his broad and penetrating,

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intellect and through his
openness and generosity

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as a teacher and friend.

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I'm very happy that he's here
to help us celebrate the Poetry

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Center's 50th Anniversary.

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Please welcome David Wojahn.

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[APPLAUSE]

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