Let's make this birthday one to remember.

72 years old (Born on October 21, 1952)

Happy birthday to Allen Hoey, the poetic genius who masterfully balances beauty and wit! With lyrical flair you've ignited "A Fire in the Cold House of Being," warming our literary souls since 1987. And let's not forget your Pulitzer-nominated collection, "Country Music"—your verses happily twang through hearts like an unforgettable honky-tonk tune.

Today we celebrate you—not just for prestigious awards or nominations—but because you're proof that poets can channel country beats without sacrificing literary cred. Keep strumming poetic chords with playful rhyme; may your verses always top life's best-seller chart—even if sometimes they're set against a backdrop of steel guitars!