Back in late September I received an astonishing phone call from Malcolm Burgess (of Creative New Zealand) who rang to say I had been awarded the 2022 Prime Minister's award for poetry. To say I was overwhelmed at this wonderful news was understating things. Of course I was enjoined to secrecy until the public announcement. I presumed this would be only a few days. In the event, it wouldn't be until December 1 that the public announcement was finally made. It was a long three months!