Perhaps. Mary Oliver had not entered my consciousness in this regard, probably because I've
never witnessed her live, though she must have appeared in Wash DC within the last 30 years.
Still, I don't get the impression that she "hangs" with the cabal which makes up the "list of fifteen".
Also, she resides in Provincetown; hence complaints of a (New) England bias would arise. I'd rate
her 20-1. Also forgot Sharon Olds, who cancelled at the last moment her appearance at the
closing reading (with Galway Kinnell) of the recent Split This Rock festival here, thus depriving me
of my first convenient chance to catch her act. Not based in New England. 18-1. After
researching Mary Karr a bit more, I now believe she would be regarded as too controversial for
the position by those I once heard Gary Snyder label "The Eastern Establishment". Odds rise to
35-1. Charles Simic did curate a reading by Jorie Graham (& James Tate) during his reign, so she's
been recently inspected by the Library of Congress functionaries. I'd be wary of betting on her,
but she's still the favorite at 5-1. Helen Vendler was here at least 6 times in 2007 & she must
have lobbied for her candidate.
Barry Alpert
On Tue, 20 May 2008 19:39:50 -0400, TheOldMole <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>Mary Oliver 8-1 -- Second only to Billy in popularity.
>
>Barry Alpert wrote:
>> I might take intriguing bets. Top candidates from my reading of the context:
>>
>>
>> Jorie Graham / 5-1 / they need a woman, but too many laureates have hailed from (New)
England
>>
>> Mary Karr / 15-1 / recently took over poetry column in Wash Post previously penned by pls
>>
>> Martin Espada / 20-1 / a Latino doctor, but again (New) England
>>
>> Julia Alvarez / 25-1 / alas NE again, & best known for her fiction / I like her
>>
>> Frank Bidart / 30-1 / NE, was clearly being groomed for the position but . . .
>>
>> Dana Gioia / 50-1 / a step down, but decision made before the 2008 election, so . . .
>>
>> Katia Kapovich / 100-1 / the decider is a Soviet history scholar and Simic benefitted, so . . .
>>
>>
>> Barry Alpert
>>
>>
>> On Tue, 20 May 2008 11:42:55 -0400, TheOldMole <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>>
>>> I don't suppose any of the major bookmakers are laying odds...?
>>>
>>
>>
>>>> Fifteen candidates will be selected by Gioia, Simic, and previous
>>>> consultants. The Librarian of
>>>> Congress, James Billington, will make his final selection from that
>>>> list. Place your bets now. I'm
>>>> guessing Jorie Graham, but I was wrong about Frank Bidart last year.
>>>>
>>>> Barry Alpert
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