Charles Simic is the new poet laureate.

Did I mention that already? I wish i liked his poetry as much as I like Tony Hoagland's or Billy Collin's or a host of others. I hated his book Jackstraws.

I sat right in front of the podium at a reading at the Virginia Museum. Great vantage point. He fumbled and shuffled his papers as if he'd given the reading no thought, not thought at all.

I know a lot of poets do that, but it makes us seem as if we have little regard for the audience.

grumble grumble