Cyclist chosen as poet laureate

I'm in Ashland, Oregon for a week of cycling and Shakespeare. I had been wondering about the connection between cycling and poetry for the past few days. Spare me the "spiritual experience" you had at that waterfall or mountain top. Unless you are a good poet, your inner life, like your drug trips, are of little interest to anyone else. And while we're on the subject, this is a God-free blog. That leaves poetry...

I'm delighted to report that Kay Ryan, who rode across the US on a bicycle and is a devoted mountain biker in the hills around San Francisco-- just became poet laureate of The United States:

Expectations

We expect rain
to animate this
creek: these rocks
to harbor gurgles,
these pebbles to
creep downstream
a little, those leaves
to circle in the
eddy, the stains
and gloss of wet.
The bed is ready
but no rain yet.

Kay Ryan

Coming soon: Ashland area photos, including some from the top of Crater Lake, and a great link from Steve Fox...