[Maryann Corbett]

The news is circulating elsewhere that the Wilbur Award results have at last been announced.

Judge Erica Dawson chose Adam Tavel's Catafalque as the 2017 winner. Ned Balbo's manuscript, which I'm told may eventually have a different title but right now is called 3 Nights of the Perseids, is the 2018 winner.

Ned of course is a member here. Adam is not, so here's a link to some information: https://adamtavel.com/about/

Congratulations to both, and thanks to everybody at U. of Evansville for running the contest.

[Tim Murphy]

I've always regarded this as the best book series in poetry. Congratulations, Ned. You're following in the footsteps of lots of Sphereans.

[R. Nemo Hill]

Congratulations, Ned.

Nemo

[Michael Cantor]

Congrats, Ned. This can go up on the increasingly crowded shelf next to your Donald Justice Prize and Poets’ Prize.

[Susan McLean]

Great news, Ned. I look forward to reading the book.

Susan

[Catherine Chandler]

Congratulations, Ned!!! At least they didn't ask you to keep mum for a whole year !

[Ned Balbo]

Thanks, everyone. I really appreciate the kind words. I was a finalist, oh, at the end of the last century or so, & maybe one other time? I'm not sure. So this news was unexpected & very welcome.

Tim, yes ~ some of my favorite poet-friends made the list before me, so this is quite an honor.

Catherine, I actually inquired about whether I should keep the news to myself (I remembered others had done so in the past) & was relieved that I wouldn't have to. (FYI, with the school year over, I'm finally relaxing into Frangible Hour & admiring it very much, especially "Zeeman's Paradox" & "Wherein the Snow," with more to come, I'm sure.)