My favorite part of the interview? The goatee discussion.

Back in 1993, I was in a graduate poetry workshop, and there was this writer, Brian Turner, who brought in good poem after good poem. He went off to the University of Oregon and I headed to the University of Washington. Now, so many years later, we both have books and we're going to be doing a reading together.

But, unaccountably, the interview is in print in the Fresno area and online everywhere as of 8 March 2006.

Here's a link to a Barnes & Noble page where you can purchase the books of the winners of and the finalists for the 2005 National Book Critics Circle Awards.

About four hours ago, Jack Gilbert won the National Book Critics Circle Award for poetry for his collection, Refusing Heaven.

A few weeks, ago, I was interviewed by the Poetry Foundation regarding my nomination for the National Book Critics Circle Award, and that interview, along with those of my fellow nominees, is up on their website as of today.

Can I get that with sprinkles?

I put my head on the table, waiting for the other players to arrive and for the world to both stop spinning and stop punching me in the brain.

At first, she propped my book up on a table, with me in the background, trying my hardest to look both tough and poetic.

I demand recognition for the crew.