The literary community in Oregon is diverse and vibrant, and I’m just as pleased as can be to be a part of it–and that Thieve is a finalist for the 2021 Oregon Book Award! A powerhouse group of writers being recognized this year, including my friend and Linfield University colleague Nick Buccola, for his amazing The Fire Is Upon Us.
So pleased to be able to say that last night When We Were Birds won the Stafford/Hall Prize in Poetry from the Oregon Book Awards. It was a lovely evening, full of wit and literature and friends, and I’m proud of the book and so thankful to the Oregon literary community, especially the great folks at Literary Arts. And a big, huge thanks to Major Jackson, a poet I so admire, for judging the award and offering such kind words about When We Were Birds.
It’s been a great joy, these past three and a half years, to get to know and, slowly, become part of the Oregon literary community, which is why I’m so pleased about this latest news: my most recent full-length collection of poetry, When We Were Birds, is a finalist for the 2017 Stafford/Hall Award in Poetry from the Oregon Book Awards. (And, as an added bonus, it’s wonderful to know that Major Jackson, a poet I very much admire, judged the award!)
joewilkins.org 