Here's a book of poetry I treasure by a writer I treasure. This is a celebratory re-airing of Mary Rufel's book,

Dunce. It's new to paperback from Wave Books. It was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in

Poetry, the National Book Critics Circle Award, the L.A. Times Book Award, and it was long listed for the

National Book Award. If you want to begin reading poetry, begin with this. And if you just need a

reminder of how funny and entertaining poetry can be. Here's the reminder.

Funds for Bookworm are provided in part by Lannin Foundation.

Boots!

Where would we be without boos?

Where would we be without good old timber?

It's a rhetorical question, sir, but where would we be without books?

From KCRW and KCRW.com, I'm Michael Silverblad.

This is bookworm.

I never invite anyone onto the show unless I'm

interested in and thrilled by their work. Mary Rufel, our guest today, is someone,

you'll pardon me if this is in any way intrusive, but Mary Rufel is my heart's darling.

She really is.

I was privileged to see the manuscript of her book, Donce, which is published by Way of Books,

we're going to begin with the title poem by my guest, Mary Rufel.

Dunce, I am always up for a bog, said Mary.

I too am always up for one, said I.

And so we put on our rubber boots. I love being in rubber boots,

said Mary, and I said the same. The ground sprang as we bog, the bog, the bog wavered as we sprang,

...