Day 3
I HAD TO GET UP SUPERHERO EARLY
but it was worth it 'cause the reading at the Library
of Congress was today. Robert Hass and Pamela Michaels
sent us off in taxis at 9 o'clock. There sure are a
lot of mosaics in the Library of Congress. I had lots
of time to look at them before the reading started.
There's a ceiling devoted to writers and philosophers
and debaters, and that was my favorite. Obviously. In
the Jefferson Building, Pamela Michaels started the
reading off. Mr. Cole, in charge of the Center For The
Book, talked for a while, and then Robert Hass, and
then the poetry readings began from finalists in
alphabetical order to grand prize winners in
(surprise!) alphabetical order.
After the poetry, the artists went up to show
their work. I wish I was an artist. They're so cool.
I'd love to just tell people I was an artist. Telling
people that you're a poet just isn't like telling
people you're an artist. Being an artist is almost
like an accessory. being a poet is just like, "Hey
Mom, I ran out of notebooks again."
Anyway, the reading went remarkably well. Much
better than I'd expected it to. Robert Hass listened
to me read and commented on my poem, and he said
stuff like what he liked about every line and what
sets it apart from other poetry. I actually read two poems
because I had a win in Michigan, too. He commented
on both of them and seemed genuinely impressed.
After the reading, during which I was
incredibly nervous and scared, there was a luncheon
which was pleasant, as luncheons usually are. Poetry
and art were the main subject of this luncheon, as you
might expect. Everyone had pizza and crowded into a
luncheon room. I think that's what you would call it.
It looked like a luncheon room. In a good way. Robert
Hass talked with me about my poetry. He said he
could've chosen any of it to win. I'm pretty sure
that's a compliment. Whoa.