National Book Awards: Maxine Hong Kingston 2.0

Maxine Hong Kingston said she was currently writing page 173 of a long poem. “I am using poetic form because I’m old enough to know that I can cease to be at any moment and I can condense all I know into short lines that can stand on their own,” she said. “Thank you for accompanying me on the immense journey and thank you for giving me this spurt of praise that will carry me to the finish line.”