Let's make this birthday one to remember.

86 years old (Born on January 10, 1939)

Happy Birthday, Jared Carter! Time marches onward—even though you reminded us that “Work, for the Night Is Coming.” But today we won’t darken rooms of summer; instead, let’s shine a bright spotlight on your timeless poetic charm. Years may pass swiftly like lines in a stanza, yet your wit ages as gracefully and elegantly as your award-winning words.

Celebrating another year with such brilliance leaves us all reassured that this isn't merely 'Situation Normal.' With each poem from "Fugue State" to recent successes and accolades earned throughout an inspiring career—you continue weaving masterpieces out of ordinary days. Cheers—may laughter rhyme forever with joy!