I interviewed Mr. Donald Hall recently. The results will be published in the American Poetry Review

this year. We also began a very fine correspondence. I’m very pleased to learn he was awarded an American Humanities Medal this week. I am a great admirer of both Mr. Obama and Mr. Hall. But we couldn’t help but think that the great American poet broke up the solemnitiy of the event by directing the President to “pull his finger.” We all hope he did.