Once again, if it doesn't exist on the internet, it doesn't exist. Hence, this new Poet Laureate doesn't exist.

(as he hums carly simon's "let the river run")

you sure have my vote.

(let all the dreamers/wake the nation)

Nope, not too much...

Patricia, you've got my vote!

And if you do NOT become Poet Laureate, is your contribution in this life really lessened? Be, Patricia, just Be.

Jilly Dybka links to a very revealing US Map of Poet Laureates: apparently, it really helps to live on the Eastern seaboard, specifically, near NYC:
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&om=1&msa=0&msid=102258961270943761178.000436b9a55bfd6ff9897&ll=32.746025,-114.062976&spn=55.388889,119.53125&z=3

Yo, Patricia, here's how you get the MacArthur. Seems easy enough. We've just got to find these "nominators," give them copies of your books and it's a wrap! ~ Lubs, Manda

How Fellows are Chosen:
Each year, the MacArthur Fellows Program invites new nominators on the basis of their expertise, accomplishments, and breadth of experience. They are encouraged to nominate the most creative people they know within their field and beyond. Nominators are chosen from as broad a range of fields and areas of interest as possible. At any given time, there are usually more than one hundred active nominators.

Nominations are evaluated by an independent Selection Committee composed of about a dozen leaders in the arts, sciences, humanities professions, and for-profit and nonprofit communities. Each nomination is considered with respect to the program's selection criteria, based on the nomination letter along with original works of the nominee and evaluations from other experts collected by the program staff.

After a thorough, multi-step review, the Selection Committee makes its recommendations to the President and board of directors of the MacArthur Foundation. Announcement of the annual list is usually made in September. While there are no quotas or limits, typically 20 to 30 Fellows are selected each year. Between June of 1981 and September of 2005, 707 Fellows have been named.

Nominators, evaluators, and selectors all serve anonymously and their correspondence is kept confidential. This policy enables participants to provide their honest impressions independent of outside influence.

The Fellows Program does not accept applications or unsolicited nominations.

Eligibility
There are no restrictions on becoming a Fellow, except that nominees must be either residents or citizens of the United States.

For more information
Questions can be e-mailed to 4answers@macfound.org.

Last night I parked my Element along the Hudson River, sipped from an illegal goblet of wine, and read Simic's "The Voice at 3:00 AM" from cover to cover.

Uh.

OK.

It was pretty friggin' good.

Reading Billy Collins made me groan.

Reading Ted Kooser made me want to bake a pie.

Reading Charles Simic makes me want to....well, read more Charles Simic.

Hallelujah.

Patricia did you see Simic's "House of Cards," in Best American Poetry 2006? That poem is absolutely breathtaking.

And don't forget you're poet laureate in higher places, for example a school in Miami where the kids adore you and think you're the best thing that ever hit the planet Earth. Just remember that!