, ▁Missouri ▁Governor ▁Jay ▁N ixon ▁noted ▁that ▁Cle well ▁" has ▁a ▁unique ▁perspective ▁on ▁contemporary ▁American ▁life ▁and ▁the ▁characters ▁and ▁ideas ▁that ▁lo om ▁large ▁in ▁our ▁recent ▁history ." ▁ ▁Cle well ▁is ▁the ▁author ▁of ▁ 1 0 ▁poetry ▁collections ▁and ▁his ▁work ▁has ▁appeared ▁in ▁over ▁ 5 0 ▁journ als ▁and ▁mag az ines , ▁including ▁Har per ' s , ▁Po etry , ▁The ▁Ken y on ▁Review , ▁The ▁Missouri ▁Review , ▁The ▁Georgia ▁Review , ▁Ontario ▁Review , ▁New ▁Let ters , ▁and ▁Yan kee . ▁He ▁has ▁been ▁nominated ▁for ▁the ▁P ush cart ▁Prize ▁for ▁poetry ▁seven ▁times . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁poet ▁la ure ate ▁for ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁Missouri , ▁serving ▁until ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁He ▁passed ▁the ▁po etic ▁tor ch ▁to ▁Will ▁T row bridge . ▁ ▁He ▁lived ▁in ▁Web ster ▁Gro ves , ▁Missouri ▁with ▁his ▁wife ▁Pat ric ia . ▁ ▁Awards ▁ ▁Pol lak ▁Po etry ▁Prize ▁for ▁Now ▁We ' re ▁Getting ▁Some where ▁ ▁Lav an ▁Po etry ▁Prize ▁from ▁the ▁Academy ▁of ▁American ▁Po ets ▁▁ 1 9 8 9 ▁National ▁Po etry ▁Series , ▁for ▁B less ings ▁in ▁Dis gu ise ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁L if etime ▁Ach iev ement ▁in ▁the ▁Arts ▁from ▁the ▁Web ster ▁Gro ves ▁( MO ) ▁Arts ▁Commission ▁ ▁Works ▁ ▁Po ems ▁" from ▁Jack ▁Ruby ' s ▁America ", ▁Word ▁Virtual , ▁ 1