hat was unusual was that Robert Pinsky, Poet Laureate, and William did not strike one another with their fists. Instead they decided to have a competition: with two typewriters, a bottle of Bookers, and an ashtray, they were to have a Villanelle contest. There was a starting pistol and they both started typing with amazing speed. The crowd in the bookstore went wild. Wagers were placed on who would finish first, whose would scan better, whether there would be slant rhyme, etc. The staff at the bookstore loved us, and they were all jumping up and down in the Critical Theory section, hooting, and cheering Pinsky on. I think Dirk took advantage of the hubbub to steal from the till, but he ended up buying everyone drinks all night, after William won on all counts, most notably for finding rhymes for both “orange” and “silver,” and, according to their gentleman’s agreement, Pinsky declared William the new Poet Laureate, which honor William promptly awarded to Dirk. Tears were shed.

?