From My Forthcoming Book

From My Forthcoming Book

My new book of poetry, Chora, is scheduled for publication this fall as part of Cascade Press’s Poiema series. The collection includes, “The Florentine Pietà,” which describes an unfinished sculpture by Michelangelo Buonarroti now displayed in Florence’s Duomo Museum....

Strangers Among Us

The Book of Thomas More, a play originally written by Anthony Munday and Henry Chettle in the 1590s and heavily revised by at least three other hands, was likely never performed before the twentieth century. The existing handwritten manuscript, now held at the British...

On the Road Again

Jill and I are looking forward to some overdue travel, starting with the Nowhere Else Festival this Labor Day weekend. Thanks to Karin Bergquist and Linford Detweiler of Over the Rhine—the  husband-and-wife indie-folk duo on whose farm the festival blossoms—the music,...

My Renewed Website

In unveiling my updated website, I can’t help but notice what’s concealed in attempting to reveal. My new headshots, taken last fall by the amazing Michael Wilson (click his name on my links page to see his website), show me cleanshaven with a full head of dark hair....

Against (bad) theory

I don’t like literary theorists that take their thoughts more seriously than the integrity of the work under examination. Making a text dance to whatever tune you impose belongs among the Forbidden Curses. I remember some time ago telling Robert Coles I was...