Thank you, Peggy, that was just marvelous, thank you so much.
C.K. Williams.
Charlie was born in New Jersey in 1936.
He presently resides halftime in France and halftime
at Princeton University, where he teaches creative writing
at the school.
Charlie has authored many, many books
of poetry, as well as publishing five works of translation.
He has garnered many awards and honors
through the years, including the Pulitzer
Prize for "Repair", National Book Award for "The Singing",
National Book Critics Award for "Flesh and Blood".
Other awards and honors include the American Academy
of Arts and Letters Award, a Guggenheim Fellowship,
the Lila Wallace Reader's Digest Award,
the PEN Voelcker Award for Poetry, and the Pushcart Prize.
Probably most important of all is
Charlie was best man at our wedding.
Now, without any further ado, I'd
like to introduce C.K. Williams.
[APPLAUSE]