four-ten-AM. packing for shuttle to Iowa City airport. Iowa city has the softest water I've come across yet. How do you know you've gotten the soap off ? Staying at the Golden Haug. Nila Haug came to my reading last night, very kind and sweet place and person. The shower is one of those old tubs with the curtain suspended 360 inside - like swimming with a raincoat -- that's a lyric too (Kindu would know). But a good place. Have a cold. Flying six-30-AM to Louisville.

Iowa City does have James Galvin (I know I've said that a lot, but poets are artists) and Prairie Lights, & Prairie Lights has Paul Ingram, and Paul's Corner, and he and that are worth a trip across a country or nearly a continent too.

In Louisville, later today, KY, I'm meeting with the Stand Up for Kids people, which is why this not-sleeping makes so much sense, then Carmichael's @ 7 PM, Publisher Weekly's "Bookseller of the Year" for 2009.

Did I say I have a cold? I bought more books in Iowa City than I have any right to. They're mailing the books home. For Juan, more Thich Nhat Han. For John and me, more poems. For Carter and me, a book about NY. Carter better not stop talking tonight all night long.