Our visitor was a petite, 60ish writer in an ill-fitting suit and a loud tie. A man of some reputation, he had been flown in to speak to the students in our graduate program about his own work and his thoughts on writing. We looked forward to his visit as eager colleagues; we were pleased he had come and grateful for whatever insights he might share.
Author: J.D. Nordell is a graduate fellow in poetry at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.