American poet, 1978 Guggenheim Fellow, and former Poet Laureate of Sacramento, California. His poetry collections include The Truth Squad, Animism, Goodwill, Inc., and Eden.
He studied at both Loras College and the University of Chicago. He published his debut poetry collection, We Weep for Our Strangeness, in 1969.
He protested California's Death Penalty on multiple occasions.
He was born and raised in Dubuque, Iowa. He wed Loretta D'Agostino in 1960.
He taught and mentored Raymond Carver.
