Local poetry publisher Copper Canyon Press has announced that the Library of Congress has named W.S. Merwin Poet Laureate of the United States. Merwin is the second Copper Canyon poet to be named Poet Laureate in the last ten years (Ted Kooser was Laureate from 2004 to 2006.)

Copper Canyon has set up a form in which you can send Merwin your congratulations (be nice, kids). You can read a brief biography of Merwin and read many examples of his poetry over at the mind-bogglingly comprehensive Poetry Foundation profile page.